Come What May
by PhantomTF
Summary: Optimus Prime prepares to face a new relationship, a century after Alita's death
1. Chapter One

**Come What May**

by Phantom

Author's Note: This fanfic takes place in the year 2117, roughly a year after Family Ties. As revealed in Family Ties, Rodimus is the son of Optimus Prime and serves as his second-in-command. There are a few scattered Star Trek references in here (can't help myself- need to make use of a broader interstellar culture) – find 'em if you can!

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn

Is just to love and be loved in return"

- Moulin Rouge

Chapter One

"He's coming! Look sharp, everyone! Here he comes!"

Those words were met by a flurry of activity as everyone rushed to look busy, to seem to be accomplishing something important. They wanted, more than anything, to impress the visitor who had come to grace them with his presence. Some shook their heads, wondering at all the fuss, but even they knew the importance of this visit. They needed to prove the success of this project.

The project head rushed around in a nervous twitter, shooing at people who didn't need to be shooed, and generally made a nuisance of himself. He froze at the sound of approaching footsteps, looking like a Terran deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car.

The loud, clanking, echoing footsteps grew ever closer, and soon brought a large, impressive figure into view. It was easy to see why everyone was nervous. The figure seemed to radiate importance and control. He would not tolerate the smallest setback, the tiniest flaw. This was his brainchild, after all, and he had come to see it becoming a reality.

"Optimus Prime!" the project head simpered, racing over to welcome him. He drew himself up to his full height, which really wasn't that tall, and saluted mightily.

Optimus stared at him for a moment, a bit scornfully, then reluctantly returned the salute. "Driller. How is the project coming along?" He couldn't help but feel a small measure of disgust as the project head practically bowed and scraped before him. His mannerisms were not unlike that of a Ferengi trying to ingratiate himself to a potential victim –erm, customer.

"Oh, spectacularly!" Driller burbled on. "We're even a bit ahead of schedule. We've accomplished the excavation of a third of the main tunnel already. Once it is complete, we can begin to lay down the track. Soon now, your vision of Cybertron's revitalized mass transit tube system will be a reality."

"That's good news," Optimus nodded, optics seeming to probe every corner. Things were going better than he had hoped. Driller may be a simpering fool, but he was performing his duties well. "I assume that you've checked for structural weaknesses and traps? You know that these old corridors are full of hazards."

Driller's face fell. "Well, uh, sir, we did a visual inspection, and everything seemed secure..."

Optimus scowled underneath his battle mask, his optics effectively conveying his displeasure. But his reaction was overshadowed by a sudden rumbling sound, and the very ceiling above them began to shake. "It's coming down!" a voice shouted.

Galvanized by the emergency, Optimus cried out, "Run! To the main corridor, now! It's the most stable area!" The two-dozen workers dropped their tools and rushed for the corridor. Optimus herded them along, making sure that no one lagged behind. A crouching figure caught his eye. A slender femme was fussing with a small box. A small light on the top flickered on, and a force field shot up, holding the ceiling in place. "Forget it!" he cried, grabbing her and throwing her roughly in the direction of the corridor. "The field isn't strong enough!"

His words proved all too true. No sooner had he thrust her aside than the field dissolved, burnt out by the excessive force exerted upon it. A massive chunk of sheet metal and concrete came crashing down directly on the large Autobot's head. He crumpled to the floor like a broken toy, stunned. He struggled to move out of the path of the falling debris, but he was too disoriented to make his limbs move properly. A long, jagged length of pipe creaked ominously and then fell, tearing straight through his abdomen. He fought to scream but was only able to make a choking sound. He had stifled his emotions for so many millions of years that now he found that he could not always voice them, even when he desperately needed to. The pain was excruciating, radiating from his abdomen and blazing through every circuit in his body. Then, mercifully, unconsciousness folded over him like a blanket.

Rodimus shot up in his seat, the data pad in his hand clattering to the floor. He clutched the back of his head, bright flowers of pain blossoming behind his optics. He shook his head, trying to regain his senses. Then a tearing pain burst through his abdomen, and he collapsed to the floor, clutching his midsection. His mind reeled, trying to process the sensory overload. He nearly blacked out, and he fought off the darkness. The Matrix pulsed within him, sending out input that was not his own. "Optimus!" he whispered. The Matrix had created a link between them that transmitted extremely intense emotions and sensations. Something had happened to Optimus... something terrible...

"Rodimus Prime to medical team! Medical emergency at the excavation site!"

Consciousness returned to Optimus slowly, as if he was fighting his way to the surface from the bottom of an ocean. He groaned softly, struggling to bring his optics online. What time was it? Had he overslept? Why hadn't his chronometer woken him? Why was everything so fuzzy – had he over-energized? Then the pain hit, and he was jolted awake with a sickening jerk. He tried to sit up with a gasp, but a gentle hand pressed him back down. He turned his head, his vision laced with static and flickering color, to see the femme that he had saved crouched next to him. "Don't move," she said softly. "You've been injured."

He stared at her, trying to place a name with the face. Curse it, he had known it before! His head pounded. Why couldn't he think straight? "You..." he rasped, wincing at the terrible sound of his voice. "Your name... it escapes me..."

"Lieutenant Andromeda, sir," she replied. "How are you feeling?"

"Felt better," he groaned. He struggled to remember what had happened. "The tunnel – it collapsed, didn't it?"

"Yes," she replied. "You saved us all, sir, with your quick thinking. And you saved me. I probably would have been killed."

He studied her as best he could, willing his vision to function properly. "You seem all right." She had a few large dents, and a few small leaks, but they were already stopping. "The others?"

She sighed. "I don't know for sure. I think they escaped safely, but the pile of rubble has blocked the exit. I've been radioing for help, but we are too far down for the signal to get out, and the signal booster has been smashed."

Optimus struggled to run his diagnostic program, with little success. Error messages scrawled across his CPU, telling him that the damage was grave indeed. "How long have I been unconscious?"

"Nearly an Earth hour," Andromeda replied. "It took nearly that long just to dig you out. You were totally covered in debris."

"Lieutenant," he gazed at her sharply, "what damage has been done to me? Tell me honestly, and leave nothing out."

She hesitated, and Prime felt a sinking sensation. It must be bad indeed. "You've got a large gash on the back of your head, along with an enormous dent."

Optimus reached gingerly back to feel the injury and winced in pain. He felt a makeshift strip of metal that had been hastily welded to the wound. He drew his hand back, covered in leaking fluids. "You patched the injury," he said matter-of-factly.

"I did, sir," she replied, "but I was less successful with your other injury." Her words faltered at his questioning look. "A length of pipe has breached your structure through to the other side. No, don't look!" she scolded him, but he did anyway. The sight nauseated him, and he sank back, shutting off his optics.

"I didn't remove it," she continued. "I was afraid that you would only leak to death. I patched around it the best that I could, but I couldn't lift you to seal the exit wound. I wanted to cut the pipe to make the protrusion smaller, but I don't have any tools for the job. All I have is my mini-welder, and that is out of power." Her voice was filled with regret.

"You've done... admirably..." Optimus whispered, his voice trailing off.

"Optimus Prime?" she said questioningly. "Sir, I think you've got a concussion. You need to stay conscious. Listen to the sound of my voice."

"...hurts..."

She bit her lip, wondering what to do. She needed to keep him from losing consciousness, or he might slip into a coma and die. As it was, he was leaking so severely that she feared he would die before they were rescued. 'No!' she told herself sternly. 'I won't let that happen! I will do everything in my power to keep him alive.' Softly, she began to sing. It was an ancient Cybertronian melody, and it poured from her throat with a life of its own.

Optimus lay back, listening to the beautiful melody wash over him in soothing waves. It brought pages from his past back to life, causing memories long buried to stir to life. "A-Alita?" he called. "Is that you?"

The femme stopped singing, looking ashamed. "N-no, sir. I'm sorry," she whispered. How foolish she had been! The melody she had been singing was a love song.

"Going to be late," the Autobot leader muttered, his optics flickering. She felt her spark shrink in fear. He was getting worse! "Dion will kill me if I'm late again. Got to hurry."

"Quick!" she cried out. "Name and rank!" His gaze drifted aimlessly. "*Now*, soldier!" she bellowed.

He looked at her with surprise. "Orion," he spoke slowly. "Orion Pax. I don't have a rank. I'm just a dockworker. Though I'm studying to be a doctor. Is that what you wanted to know?"

Fear grasped at her spark, and her body went cold. She had to snap him back to reality, and fast, before she lost him completely! "Wrong answer!" she yelled, pushing her face into his. She drew her hand back and smacked him across the faceplate as hard as she could.

"That... hurt you more than it hurt me," Optimus said with a weak chuckle. She clutched her throbbing hand, mentally scolding herself. She had struck his battle mask – of course it didn't hurt him! But at least it had gotten his attention.

"Let's try this again," she said grimly. "Name and rank."

"Optimus Prime." His voice was stronger, sure of himself. "Autobot commander-in-chief."

"That's better," she breathed in relief. A sense of curiosity overcame her. "Who is Orion Pax?"

"Orion..." Optimus said pensively. "I haven't heard that name in a long, long time. It was so long ago..."

"I'm sorry," Andromeda said, looking at her hands. "Is it a bad subject?"

"Not at all." He smiled at her with his optics. "I used to be Orion Pax, back in the first Golden Age. Before the war."

"*Before* the war?" the female asked, incredulous. For many Transformers, there was no such thing as before. All they had ever known was war.

Optimus told her all about it, his voice weakening from time to time. She was glad to keep his mind active and occupied, and she was fascinated by what she heard. Time passed, and Optimus grew weaker. Finally, his voice trailed off into nothingness. He barely had enough energy to turn his head.

"An... Andromeda," he gasped out.

"I'm here," she replied, taking his hand in hers. She squeezed it as best she could, but both of her hands were nearly dwarfed by his giant one. "I won't leave you."

"Th-the Matrix." He tapped his chest weakly. "If... if I don't make it... Make sure Rodimus gets it..."

"The Matrix?" she exclaimed in surprise. "But I thought... I thought Rodimus had it..."

Optimus shook his head slightly, grimacing inwardly at the pain. "We... switch between us. Not a good idea... to have only one person possess it. Makes it harder to steal." He felt Rodimus at the other end of the Matrix link, trying to give him strength. He wondered if it would be enough.

"No!" she exclaimed. "I won't let you die! I won't!" She squeezed his hand tightly. "Promise me – promise me you won't die!"

Optimus turned his head with some difficulty to look her in the optic. "Won't make promises... I can't keep... but promise... I will try." His head fell back, as if that statement had drained him.

"You can't die!" she insisted. "I – I order you to survive! Obey me and live, dammit!"

"You order me?" Optimus sounded amused, despite his weakened state.

"Yes!" she insisted, thinking fast. "You – you're removed from command. As the next ranking officer here, I am taking command. And I order you to live!"

"Yes, sir!" Optimus chuckled, then coughed slightly. Fluids had begun to clog his air intakes. "I will... obey."

Just then a beep came from his communicator. Optimus looked confused. "What is that noise?"

Andromeda could not hide her worry. "That's your communicator. You'd better answer it."

'Communicator?' he wondered. He accessed his system directory and found how to activate it. "Hello?" he spoke questioningly.

"Optimus Prime, this is Ratchet," a businesslike voice answered, layered with concern. "What is your status? Is anyone injured?"

"Ratchet? Who are you talking to? It's me, Orion. What are you doing in the field? I thought they didn't let med students do that."

There was a moment of shocked silence. "Oh, Primus," a whispered reply finally came.

Andromeda activated her own communicator. "Ratchet, I'm with Optimus Prime. He's sustained a head wound and a structural breach in his abdomen. You'd better hurry. He's already lost most of his fuel. I don't know how much longer he got."

Then she heard it... so faintly that she thought she had imagined it at first. Footsteps. Several footsteps, growing ever closer. The sound of a rolling gurney. The clanking of tools. "Here!" she cried. "We're in here!"

"We're right on the other side," Ratchet reassured her. "We'll have you both out in no time. What is your condition? Are you injured too?"

"Nothing serious," she replied. "Just hurry!" She watched fearfully as Optimus began humming tunelessly to himself, seemingly unaware of his surroundings. His head sank back, and his optics dimmed as he began to slip into unconsciousness. "No! No! Stay awake, damn you!" But this time, her efforts were of no avail.

The rescue team finally chipped away enough of the debris to squeeze through. Ratchet raced in, medical tools at the ready. He winced visibly at the condition of his friend. "We have to work quickly! First Aid, prepare the transfusion. We can't wait until we get topside. Blades, hold Optimus steady while Hot Spot cuts that pipe. We won't remove it entirely until we reach medbay. Fixit, get those bandage plates ready. We'll have to do some emergency welding before he can be moved."

Andromeda stood back and watched the rescue team work quickly on their fallen leader, trying to stabilize him enough so that he could be moved. At last Ratchet straightened up, his arms streaked with fluids, seemingly satisfied. "Good work, people. Now let's get him on that gurney. One-two-three!" The bulky Autobot was hoisted onto the gurney and wheeled outside, carried in places over piles of debris. The femme leaned against one of the Protectobots – she forgot which one at the moment – shaking. At last the ordeal was over.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

Word of the accident spread like wildfire through the Autobot camp. Dozens of Autobots descended on medbay, trying to see if their leader was all right. Kup had to hastily deploy security forces outside the medical bay to control the crowd. Optimus had lost so much fluid during the trip to the surface that he required a second transfusion, and the waiting Autobots had nearly come to blows over who would be the donor. In an effort to mollify the restless group, the medical staff allowed every willing donor to participate to fill the fuel reserves for future donations, but in the end, the brave female who had saved Optimus was selected. The doctors patched him, fueled him up, and waited. They had put him under sedation in order to let his body heal.

Midway through the next day, Optimus Prime's optics flickered on, and he tried to sit up. A strong hand pushed him down, and he sank back against the medical berth, much weaker than he had expected. His sharp blue optics studied the group of medics around him.

Ratchet observed his patient closely. "How are you feeling?"

"Weak. Dizzy," Optimus confessed. "But doing better."

"How much do you remember?" First Aid asked him, his wide optic band reflecting concern.

"Bits and pieces," Optimus replied, his gaze becoming troubled as memory fragments returned to him. "Is everyone safe?"

"They're fine," First Aid assured him. "We've had to treat a number of dents and scrapes, but nothing serious. They all told us that you were responsible for saving them."

"Untrue." Optimus shook his head, then shut down his optics as a wave of dizziness passed over him. "I just pointed out the best avenue to safety, and they took it. The femme that stayed with me – she's the real hero. She tried to use a force field to save everyone."

"Typical!" Rodimus exclaimed, pushing his way over to his friend's side. "You never want to take the credit for anything that goes right. I got a look at that femme – she's rather cute! She's been staying with you since you came in. Just left a moment ago. I should have known that it would take something drastic like burying you in a pile of rubble to get you to meet someone. Should've done it a long time ago!"

Optimus scowled at him with his optics. "Roddy, you're reading too much into the situation. She was protecting her commanding officer, nothing more." He sighed, thinking about the accident. "The cave-in is going to set us back quite a bit. If only Driller hadn't been in such a rush! It would have been a lot easier to shore up the weak ceiling than to totally rebuild it. I'd better get working on this." Ratchet moved to restrain him, but Rodimus held his hand up. Optimus rose and took several steps, then staggered and nearly collapsed. Rodimus reached out and easily caught the senior Prime. Optimus returned to his med berth, humbled.

"See, you're in no shape to go anywhere!" Ratchet scolded. "You're staying here for a day of observation. We nearly lost you back there, and I'm not taking any chances with your health. You need to regain your strength. That means *no* work! Doctor's orders!"

"Don't worry about a thing!" Roddy reassured his friend, patting his hand. "I can handle everything. Enjoy your vacation!"

"Some vacation!" Optimus muttered to himself, studying the clinical white-and-tan room. He could think of plenty of better ways to spend his time.

Optimus hummed tunelessly to himself as he sorted through the myriad data pads on his desk. He was glad to be out of that horrid medical bay! Yesterday had been an interminable bore. Ratchet had graciously allowed him to send for some holo-novels but had thrown a massive tantrum when he discovered some data pads hidden with them. Just because he was weak didn't mean he could shirk his duties! It didn't take much energy to work on a data pad, but Ratchet had insisted, threatening him with a sedative if he didn't comply.

Prime was quite pleased by the small amount of work that was left for him. Just enough to keep him busy, but not enough to stress him. Rodimus had done an admirable job in the couple of days that he'd been away. He didn't know what he'd do without his second-in-command – drown in paperwork, most likely. He set to work, determined to find a way to make up for the setback caused by the cave-in.

Several hours later, he sat back in his chair and stretched. He had an idea that would put the project back on track. Now to implement it... He activated his comm. link.

"Optimus Prime to Lieutenant Andromeda."

There was a slight pause. "Lieutenant Andromeda here, sir," came the reply. Optimus could hear a slight questioning tone in her voice, which she had tried to disguise.

"Please report to my office."

"Aye, sir. Lieutenant Andromeda out."

It was not long before the door chime was activated. "Enter," he ordered, and the doors parted to reveal the lithe female. She was a shade of blue so dark that it was nearly black. Her hands, shoulders, feet, and armor seams were adorned in silver trim. A slim pair of wings were folded along her back, and jets were mounted on her heels. Her transformation mode was obviously some kind of aerial craft. Her head was smooth, except for a small diamond mark on her forehead, and two triangular protrusions on either side of the top of her head. Optimus caught himself staring and realized with a jolt that he found her rather attractive! He hadn't given any females more than a passing glance since... since... He tore his thoughts away from the painful subject and focused his attention on the matter at hand.

"Andromeda," he nodded, acknowledging her presence.

"Lieutenant Andromeda reporting as ordered, sir," she said, saluting smartly.

'Impressive...' Optimus thought as he returned the salute, unsure if the random thought referred to her military bearing or her good looks. Aloud he said, "Please have a seat." He waited politely for the femme to seat herself, still managing to seem at attention, before continuing. "I've been looking over your personnel file. It says here that you are actually a member of Kup's security force. I was curious how you had come to be involved with the tube project."

"Well, sir," she explained, trying not to seem nervous, "I've always been interested in architecture. In fact, I studied with Grapple for a short while, but it soon became apparent that I was more skilled in destroying things than building them. So I joined Kup's security force as an espionage and demolitions expert."

Optimus nodded, his expression inscrutable. "And so you signed on to the project as part of the demolitions team. But as part of this team, was it not your duty to ensure that the area was stable?"

Andromeda shifted uncomfortably in her chair, her gaze drifting, unwilling to meet her commander's gaze. She forced herself to face him squarely. "I noticed that this particular tunnel seemed in ill-repair and tried to explain it to the project head, but he refused to listen. All he was interested in was making headway, even if it meant cutting corners. He was not interested in my opinion." A guilty look stole across her face. "Perhaps I should have tried harder. Someone could have easily been killed in the collapse. You, sir, suffered a near-fatal injury. As the highest-ranking member of the demolitions team, I accept full responsibility for the accident."

Optimus Prime radiated a smile at her with his optics. "That will not be necessary, Lieutenant. You have answered my questions satisfactorily. I hold Driller, the project head, to blame for this accident. You provided the necessary warning, and it was his responsibility to act on it. That he did not proves that he is unfit for such a position, and he must be replaced. Since you have demonstrated a working knowledge of architecture and the pressure points necessary for demolition, I am extending the position to you."

"Me?" the femme squeaked, then mentally kicked herself for sounding so ridiculous. "But... sir... there are others that are more qualified... more experienced in this area..."

"But you are the one I have selected," the Autobot leader said firmly. "It is your decision whether or not to accept the offer. If anyone else has a problem with my selection, they may bring it up with me personally. Now, I need to know if you are interested."

"Interested! Of course I'm interested!" she exclaimed, a little too eagerly. She forced herself to calm down. "Erm, I accept the offer to become project head, sir. It's a wonderful opportunity."

"I'm sure you'll do a wonderful job," he replied reassuringly. "But that's not the only thing I called you here to discuss."

The femme's expression was one of polite confusion. "Sir?"

Optimus looked at her kindly. "I wanted to thank you for helping me back in the tunnel. Ratchet tells me that I would have most likely died if you had not intervened."

She shrugged uncomfortably. "I was just doing what I thought was right. It's not like I did anything special."

"But you did!" he insisted. "Not many Autobots would know what to do in such a situation. Many would have panicked, or have been too intimidated by me to help. But you did what was necessary, even risking insubordination in order to keep me conscious. You are a very special Autobot, Andromeda, and this army could use a lot more like you."

Andromeda stared at him dumbly, unsure how to respond to such a compliment. Her gaze fell on a cream-colored folded slip of paper on her commander's desk. "Is that an invitation to the tube construction celebration?"

"It is," he confirmed, sensing her discomfiture and allowing the change of subject. "I was thinking about not going, but since this is essentially my project, I feel obligated to attend." The myriad ambassadors and politicians wanted to celebrate this effort to improve Cybertron, and while Optimus really had no interest in it, he felt compelled to participate.

"I was going to avoid it too," she confessed, "but since I am the new project head, it would be unforgivable for me to skip it."

Prime seemed pleased by her decision. "At least I'll have someone interesting to talk to! I can't drag Roddy within ten feet of these functions."

The femme flushed inwardly with pleasure. He thought she was interesting...! "Now that you're going, sir – I look forward to it."

"As do I," he confirmed. "Now, if you will excuse me, Lieutenant, I have to attend to other matters."

"Of course, commander. Thank you for taking time to see me. I'll take over the project immediately. I won't let you down!"

"I'm sure you won't," Optimus reassured her. "I'll see you tonight."

They saluted one another, and the femme turned to go, butterflies fluttering inside her. *She* was the new project head! Her! And Optimus wanted to see her tonight!

Back in the office, Optimus chuckled to himself as he picked up a data pad. He had found the young femme's company to be quite enjoyable, and he found himself suddenly looking forward to the dreary function that night.

A knock sounded at the side door. "Come in!" Optimus called. The door connecting his office to Rodimus' slid open, and the robot in question bounced in, looking more exuberant than ever. "Hi, Op!" he yelled. "What's going on? Feeling alright?"

"Just fine, Roddy. I've been working on the tube project again. I've decided to get rid of that incompetent fool Driller and appoint Lieutenant Andromeda as the project head. She seems to have a better handle on things."

"Ah," Roddy nodded wisely. "The cute chick that played nursemaid for you. So," he smirked, "did you ask her out yet?"

"And just why would I do such a thing?"

"Because you like her!" the young Autobot exclaimed. "Come on, I can tell! It's even in the way you say her name."

"She'll be at the celebration tonight. Is that good enough for you?" Optimus grumbled.

"Oh, slag, those things are enough to put anyone to sleep! You need to ask her out on a real date. You know, just you and her." Roddy's grin turned wicked. "You'd better, or else I'll implement my emergency plan."

"Emergency plan?" Prime echoed, a feeling of dread filling him.

"Yup!" the young 'bot exclaimed, enjoying himself immensely. "If you refuse to start dating, I'll have to use my last resort. I'll tie you up and invite every Autobot femme in the galaxy to have a go at you."

"You wouldn't dare!" Optimus growled. Even he couldn't be that evil!

"I might!" Roddy warned him gleefully. Trouble was, the junior Prime was capable of anything when it came to harassing his friend into finding a mate. He would stop at nothing to see that Optimus started some kind of relationship. Prime still had not forgiven his son for the last prank he'd pulled. On its own accord, his mind flashed back to the events of several months ago...

/ / / / /

"I've made all the arrangements for the Zz'taxan trade negotiations," Rodimus informed his friend. "You'll be leaving in just a few days."

"Me?" Optimus asked in surprise. "But this is really just a minor issue. Couldn't Magnus handle it?"

"Nope!" the younger Prime exclaimed. "He's got other matters to worry about. You should go, you need a vacation anyway. I can hold down the fort here."

"Vacation...?" the red Autobot said, a dangerous note entering his voice. What could this negotiation have to do with a vacation? This mission was expected to go smoothly, but it was hardly a vacation!

"Oh, did I forget to tell you?" Roddy said far too innocently for his father's liking. "I've arranged for the negotiations to be held on Risa! You'll have plenty of time to kick back and relax."

"RISA!" Optimus thundered. "Roddy, have you lost your mind? That is hardly the place for a trade negotiation!" This was the last time he let Rodimus handle the arrangements! Let the boy take some responsibility, and look what happens – he chooses the most notorious pleasure planet in the quadrant! Optimus smelled a set-up. "You planned this, didn't you?"

"You got me!" the flame-colored Autobot grinned, spreading his hands. "I just thought you could use some time away from this dump. Trust me, you'll feel like a new 'bot!"

Several days later, the door chime sounded as Optimus was packing. "Enter," he called.

The nefarious one himself entered. "Hiya! Just wanted to wish you luck and all. Didn't think I'd have time to see you later."

"Thanks, Roddy. I hope things go well."

"I'm sure they will," Roddy nodded. "Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. There's a souvenir sculpture sold on Risa called a horgon. You should buy one and carry it around with you. It's a display of good will and friendliness. Just don't bring it to the trade negotiations – it would seem unprofessional."

"Is that what that sculpture is in your quarters?"

"That's right!" Roddy, unsurprisingly, had been to Risa quite a number of times and knew the culture very well. "I gotta go now. You have fun, alright? Or else!"

"I'm sure I will, Roddy."

Several days later, Optimus was relaxing by the side of a large, shimmering pool. It was much too small for him, of course, but he liked to dip his feet in it and soak up the rays of the sun. He lounged on the ground, reading a holo-novel and generally enjoying the peace and quiet. The horgon, purchased just minutes before, sat by his side. Roddy was a nuisance, but he was right – he had really needed a vacation. He sometimes wondered if Rodimus was a genius – the idea to have the trade negotiations on Risa was a stroke of brilliance. The Zz'taxans had been eager to explore Risa and the delights it offered and were thus eager to wrap up the negotiations and had proved unusually accepting of the Autobots' terms. Just a few more short hours, and everything should be finalized. Nearly a week ahead of schedule.

"Hi there!" a voice spoke, breaking his concentration. Optimus looked down curiously to see a tall blue humanoid female with yellow hair. "You look lonely. Mind some company?"

"Um, no thanks," Optimus declined politely. "I'm just trying to catch up on some reading."

The blue woman's brow furrowed in confusion. "Okaaay... if you say so... but if you change your mind, I'll be in the pool, okay?" She strutted off, swaying her body side-to-side, attracting a lot of appreciative stares.

Optimus shook his head and returned his attention to the holo-novel, only to be interrupted again, this time by a silicon-based creature. She was considerably bigger than the blue female, but she only stood as high as Prime's waist. "Hello there," she purred, ruffling her silicon scales. "Reading something? Why don't you put that away and join me. I'm sure we can think of something better to do."

Optimus, once again, was confused and politely but firmly declined. All he really wanted to do was sit in solitude and read. But that seemed to not be possible, for he was interrupted time and again, each time by women asking him to spend time with them. He knew that Risa attracted a lot of unattached beings looking for a good time, but surely it was possible to relax and enjoy the planet by himself! Looking around, he saw plenty of lone beings. He just didn't get it. Where were all these women coming from, and what did they want from him?

"Hello," another woman purred as she sidled up to him. She was a female robot, of which classification, Optimus couldn't tell. She didn't seem to be a Transformer. She was a polished silver color that glinted in the sun. A cloud of fine blonde synthetic hair hung down her back. "You seem lonely over here all by yourself. Care for some company?"

Optimus put down the holo-novel, getting rather irritated by this point. "You know, you're the eighth woman who's asked me that in less than a half-hour. Honestly, I'm not interested in companionship. I just don't understand. Nobody else is being approached here but me, and I doubt I'm the best prospect here. This has never happened to me before."

"You mean you don't know...?" the woman gaped, then covered her mouth to try and contain the giggles that escaped. She gestured to the sculpture at Prime's side. "The horgon is a symbol of sexuality and availability. Essentially, it's an advertisement for female companionship." She watched the Autobot's expression darken.

"Rodimus!" he spat angrily. "I'm going to absolutely kill him! This is unbelievable! I can't believe he did this to me!" He blustered out an apology to the female, then grabbed the horgon, determined to get rid of it, even if he had to jettison it into space!

/ / / / /

"So, are you going to ask her out, or do I have to get Blaster to ask her for you, over the loudspeaker?"

Optimus felt himself jerked back to the present. "I'll think about it, alright? Now leave me in peace – I'm nervous as it is!"

"Sure thing! I'm gonna hold you to it!" Roddy cheerfully bounced back into his own office. Mission accomplished!


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Optimus drummed his fingers absentmindedly on the table as he tried not to stare too obviously at the doorway. The function hadn't even started yet, and already he was bored out of his CPU. 'Where is she?' he wondered. 'Did she change her mind about coming?'

Finally, just as one of the diplomats approached the podium and the crowd began to find their way to their seats, she appeared, looking rushed. Her hurry had put a kind of glow around her face that really appealed to Optimus. He wanted nothing to do with silly girls who had nothing better to do than primp and gossip. The war had cured many femmes of that, but there were still a few left, and he did his best to avoid them.

As if sensing his gaze, she looked over and smiled a bit nervously. Prime raised his hand in greeting.

The diplomat at the podium addressed the crowd, seeming a bit more puffed up than usual. "Ladies and gentlebots," he began (Optimus was hard-pressed not to snicker at the insipid greeting), "it is my great pleasure to welcome you tonight. The construction of a planet-wide transportation system will usher in a new era of prosperity and well-being for Cybertron."

'Blah-blah-blah,' Prime thought to himself. He could transpose this speech on every other function that he had attended. He contented himself with studying Andromeda from the corner of his optic until his bit in this charade arrived.

"... and here to officially open the festivities is our own Autobot Leader and founder of the project, Optimus Prime!"

Prime rose and stepped up to the podium, nodding politely at the applause that he received. He delivered his own little prepared speech, not particularly caring if anyone was listening or not. His voice livened up a bit as he discussed the new project head. "Lieutenant Andromeda has been appointed as the new project head, due to her extensive knowledge of architecture and her understanding of demolitions. I have full faith in her capabilities and wish her the best of luck."

A smattering of applause was mixed in with surprised murmurs. The change of the project head had come as a surprise, and that Optimus had chosen someone so young and relatively inexperienced was even more of a shock. "Speech! Speech!" the chant began, and Andromeda shrank back in her seat.

"Come now," Prime admonished the crowd. "The lieutenant is not prepared to give a speech at this time. I'm sure at a later date—"

"No, that's okay," she said, her voice quavering slightly as she rose and made her way to the podium. Prime stepped back slightly but remained nearby for moral support. "Ummm, thank you all for coming," she said nervously, wringing her hands. "This position is both an honor and a privilege. I am flattered by your faith in me and intend to live up to your expectations. I will ensure that the project remains on schedule. Erm, thanks again." She fairly fled the stage, taking refuge once again in her seat, keeping her head ducked to avoid the sets of optics that bored into her.

"Thank you, Lieutenant, for those wise words," Optimus continued. "You will accomplish great things." With that said, he quickly wrapped up his own speech and sat down, more than happy to let others get on with boring their audience.

After an interminable length of boring speeches by self-congratulating diplomats, the festivities finally began. The guests mingled as snooty waiter-bots circulated with trays of Energon beverages. Optimus mustered his courage and approached the femme, trying to squelch the fluttering sensation in his abdomen. It was as if he had swallowed a bunch of flutterwings. This was ridiculous! He had stared Death unflinchingly in the face more times than he could count, but talking to one small femme gave him the shakes. If Roddy knew, he'd never let him live it down.

"Hi!" Andromeda exclaimed as he reached her. "I'm glad you're here. I scarcely know anyone, and it's really making me nervous!"

His nervousness melted away as her smile caused a happy warmth to spread through his systems. "You're not missing anything," he assured her. "The ones that I do know are too boring or arrogant to bother with." He took a sip of his Energon, pouring the pink liquid down the crevice between his mask and his faceplate.

"That's good to hear. I don't want anyone else I know to hear that awful speech I gave."

He chuckled, and a delighted shiver ran down the femme's exostructure. "I thought you did just fine, Andromeda."

She sighed. "I just don't know what it is. I've never been good at giving speeches. It just gives me the surges."

He nodded sympathetically. "I know what you mean." He leaned over, whispering in a conspirational tone. "Don't spread this around... but I used to be very nervous about public speaking. When I first became the Autobot leader, it was like a nightmare. I always got the shakes before giving a big speech. And, without fail, I would become physically ill."

Andromeda gaped at him. Him? The great Autobot leader, brought down by a case of nerves? She suddenly felt a rush of tenderness towards him. He wasn't some kind of god, beyond the reach of emotion. He was just a person. A very special person. "Thank you... for sharing that with me. It makes me feel a lot better."

"I'm glad," he murmured. "Don't worry about what others may think of you, Andromeda. Just trust in yourself."

She smiled at him. "If you believe in me, I can't go wrong." She began tapping her foot to the gentle strains of music that came from the speakers. She threw a sidelong glance his way, wondering if she should dare ask... "Prime, sir, would you like to dance?" she said a bit timidly.

She saw his hesitation and braced herself for rejection. "I don't know..." he said slowly. "I've really never been good at that sort of thing. I've never been able to get the hang of it."

Andromeda smiled at him and held out her hand. "I'll never tell!"

Hesitantly, Optimus reached out and took her hand, allowing her to lead him to the dance floor. Once there, he stood stiffly, unable to break the paralysis that had suddenly taken hold of him. "Come on, silly!" she chided him, wrapping one of his hands around her back and taking the other one in her hand. He gave himself a mental shake and forced his feet to move to the rhythm of the music.

"Ow!"

Prime looked down and saw her foot trapped under his own. "Sorry," he muttered, moving his clumsy foot out of the way. She smiled in forgiveness and pulled him closer. Feeling like a giant oaf next to her graceful form, he struggled to go through the motions of the dance. She bit back a cry several more times as he trampled on her. Finally he drew back, unable to look at her. "This really isn't working. I'm just too clumsy to dance well."

"Oh, don't be ridiculous!" she chided him. "You're just too uptight. Just relax and let me guide you."

"Okaaay," he said grudgingly, not seeing how this was going to work. He let her take a firm grip on his back. She gently pushed him backward, and as he moved, she moved with him. He soon found that this arrangement was much better, and the tension drained out of him. With her guiding his movements, he would not stomp all over her.

Her foot came down on his, and she looked slightly embarrassed. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry. I barely felt it. It was like a fly landing on me."

The next song started, and the gentle strains of music told them both that it was a slow song. Andromeda paused, not wanting to push things with Optimus Prime too far. She could sense his desire to safeguard his privacy, and she would never violate it. She could sense his hesitation as well, then his strong arms cautiously pulled her close. He looked down her, and she read the question in his optics. Answering it, she pressed closer, resting her cheek on his shoulder. 'Am I dreaming?' she wondered in a daze. 'Could this really be happening to me?' Her arms wound around his neck, and she sighed as her body soaked up his warmth. His hands embraced her back, and she could feel their strength, marveling at the gentleness with which he held her. He smelled faintly of solvent and fresh wax – it was an intoxicating mixture that captivated her. She never wanted this moment to end.

Optimus gazed down at the delicate femme in his arms, marveling at her beauty. He had not slow-danced in a long time, but this just felt... right. For the first time that night, he ignored everyone else around him and concentrated on the lovely creature in his arms. A sudden wave of protectiveness swept over him, and he held her a bit closer, never wanting anyone to harm her.

Despite both of their fervent wishes, the dance finally ended. The two parted and looked at each other, feeling slightly awkward but mostly happy. Optimus felt all of the optics in the room focused on them and cringed under the scrutiny. "Let's go outside and get some fresh air," he suggested. "It's a bit stuffy in here."

Andromeda nodded wordlessly, also feeling like a bug under a microscope. 'How does he deal with this sort of attention?' he wondered. She allowed him to lead her outside some distance away from the building, to a pedestrian bridge. Iacon sprawled below in all its glittering beauty, and above, the stars twinkled. "Oh, it's so beautiful!" she breathed. Having spent so much of her time underground recently, she had forgotten what beauty this planet held.

"Yes," Optimus replied, but he was not looking at the city or the sky. He was turning a matter over in his mind. 'Go ahead, ask her!' a voice prompted. 'I can't!' he replied. 'Go on already, you wimp! Or else you'll have to tell Roddy that you chickened out, and he'll do it for you! In a very humiliating way!'

"Andromeda," he asked, so softly that she wasn't sure he had spoken, "do you have a boyfriend?"

"No," she sighed, looking up at the stars once more. "I did awhile ago but it just got too suffocating, you know? I wanted to be alone for awhile and find myself again."

"Oh." The word was flat. He forced himself to continue. "Well, that's understandable."

'You ninny!' Andromeda scolded herself. 'I think he's trying to ask you out! And you just shot him down!'

"Well, maybe I just haven't had the right offer." She smiled up at him invitingly.

The right offer... could she mean HIM?

She laughed outright at his shocked expression. "Yes, I mean you, silly! I'd love to go out with you. When are you free? I know your schedule must be crazy."

"I can rearrange it," he assured her. "Roddy will be more than happy to cover for me if I've got a date. He may even give me the whole week off!"

"Sounds good to me. Any idea of where to go?"

The blue-and-white planet of his adopted home came instantly to mind. "Have you ever been to Earth?"

She shook her head. "I've been to Metroplex, but I've never been outside the city walls."

"Well, then, I'll have to give you a tour. Is tomorrow night okay with you, say around 1800 hours? I've got a meeting scheduled, but it can wait."

"Sure!" she breathed, honored that he would cancel plans to make time to see her.

He walked her back to her quarters, his mind already awhirl with plans. There was an awkward pause outside her door as both of them wondered what would be the appropriate way to say goodbye. "Uh, I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, Prime... sir..." she fumbled, clearly unsure of how to address him. He was still her commanding officer, but now he was something more...

He smiled at her with his optics. "You don't have to be so formal with me when we're alone. I want you to call me Optimus. It is my given name, after all."

"Okay, Optimus..." she whispered, liking the sound of it very much.

Prime took her hand and squeezed it. "See you tomorrow," he murmured, then headed back up the hall. She watched until he was out of sight, then headed dreamily into her quarters, hugging herself tightly. She had a date with Optimus Prime!


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four

"How about this one?"

Optimus glanced at the data pad that Rodimus held out. On the screen was a human male dressed in bikini briefs. "No way!" he exclaimed. "I refuse to wear any human clothing on this date!"

"Even better!" Roddy flickered an optic sensor in the equivalent of a wink.

"Roddy, you are disgusting! How can you turn everything into a perverted joke?"

"It's a talent." The younger Prime grinned smugly.

Optimus sighed. "Look, Roddy, either help me or leave. Right now you're making me nervous."

"Sure, sure," Roddy mock-grumbled, taking a glob of way and smearing it over his friend's back. He wondered if he should write a dirty message in the wax...

"Don't you dare write anything back there!"

The flame-colored Autobot sighed. Optimus knew him too well! The last time that Roddy had helped him with a wax job, he had written 'Hot Stud' on his father's back, and had earned himself a week in the armory, cleaning weapons.

"So what are you guys going to do?"

Optimus busied himself with spreading the wax across his broad chest. "I figured I'd take her on an official tour of Metroplex, then go and see whatever's playing at the drive-in theater. I thought that would be a unique experience."

"Ahhh..." Roddy breathed, making smooching noises. Optimus made a rude gesture.

"Oh, yes, I forgot to give this to you."

Optimus wiped his hands on a cleansing cloth and took the miniscule box. He glimpsed the words TROJAN and wondered if it had to do anything with ancient Troy on Earth. Knowing Rodimus, probably not. He extended mini pincers from his fingertips and managed to extract a wrapped square. Curious, he opened the package and unfurled what looked like a deflated balloon. Roddy fell on the floor in a fit of giggles.

Optimus looked at him blankly. "A balloon, Roddy?"

Rodimus took a moment to respond, too overcome with hysterics. "No, Optimus! It's a form of contraception for the humans."

"And you expect me to use this? This thing won't even fit over my little finger!"

Roddy hooted and fell over once more.

"Maybe it'll fit on your miniscule unit..." Optimus teased.

"Hey!" Rodimus exclaimed, pouting. "I inherited your schematics, so whatever I've got is from you! I've been meaning to thank you for that, by the way. I haven't received any complaints so far." He preened.

Optimus threw the box at his chest. "Get rid of this!"

Roddy tried to put on a serious face, which always meant trouble. "Now Optimus, don't forget to use the safeties this time. You know what happens if you don't!" He gestured to himself as a demonstration. Forget the safeties, and you may well become a daddy.

Optimus turned his back on him. "Give it up, Roddy. I don't do that on the first date. Unlike you."

Rodimus puffed out his chest. "Whatever the ladies want!"

"Well, I want you to get out so I can finish getting ready in peace!"

"Awww!" the young Autobot pouted but left as he was told.

Optimus shook his head, chuckling at his young son's antics. Rodimus was just trying to loosen him up a bit. His antics had helped, to a small degree. He was still a tad nervous, but not on the verge of snapping, as he had been before.

"It's just a date!" he told himself out loud as he walked to Andromeda's quarters, trying to give himself a pep talk. A few 'bots in the hallway stopped to gape. Optimus talked to himself on occasion, but that didn't make it any less bizarre.

'Were things ever this difficult with Alita?' he asked himself. He realized, with a shock, that it had been. Starting the relationship had been easy – they had booth been young and rather foolish, but taking it to the next level had been awkward for him, especially once he became the almighty Autobot leader.

He felt a sudden, unexpected pang at the thought of his beloved. They had made a pact to each other – if one died, the other would go on and find someone else. Optimus had taken the pact reluctantly, never honestly wanting to obey it. And now, here he was, ready to start a new relationship. 'Do you approve, Alita?' he asked her in his mind, knowing he would never receive a response. 'I hope you don't feel betrayed or jealous.' He loved her with all of his spark, and always would, but she was never coming back. He had mourned her for over a century, and it was now time for him to move on.

Trying to force the nervous jumble of thoughts from his head, he rang the chime for her door and waited. She emerged right away, and Optimus was momentarily speechless. She had done – something – that had made her look even more beautiful than before! For a few fleeting moments, all he could do was gape. "You look great," he managed to breathe finally.

"So do you," she replied, looking his polished form up and down. He always looked good – as the Autobot leader and representative of his people, he always tried to look his best – but now he looked magnificent! Won't the femmes be jealous of her!

"Ready?" he asked politely, offering his arm. She took it happily and let him lead her to the shuttle bay.

"Since this is a special occasion, I thought we'd take my private shuttle."

"Private shuttle?" she echoed. She didn't know he had a private shuttle!

"Yes. I share it with Rodimus now, actually. We don't use it very often. It's mostly used for diplomatic missions, but it can hold its own in a battle." He led her to a small but well-kept craft. It bore the Autobot sigil and an image of the Matrix. He stepped aside, letting her board first, then followed suit.

She gazed around the shuttle's small interior, clearly captivated. The shuttle was small but comfortable, equipped with a recharging berth that folded into the wall, a stereo, an Energon dispenser, and a small collection of CDs and holo-novels. The femme laughed, and Optimus followed her gaze. Roddy had hung a pair of fuzzy dice from the viewport. Optimus assumed the pilot's chair and began the pre-launch check while Andromeda seated her self in the co-pilot's seat. She watched Prime's movements with great interest – she had served some long tours in space but had never learned to pilot a shuttle. Noticing her curiosity, Optimus patiently explained each phase of the launch preparation.

"Control to Prime One," the shuttle's comm. line crackled to life. "You are cleared for launch."

"Prime One to Control," Optimus radioed back. "Proceeding with launch."

The femme gripped the armrests in eager anticipation as Optimus Prime slowly guided the shuttle out of the docking bay, heading for the warp gate that lead to Earth's solar system. "Up, up, and away!" she cheered as Cybertron became a rapidly receding dot behind them.

Once they were on course, Optimus set the autopilot and headed over to the stereo system. Examining the small pile of CDs, he turned on the system. Jarring heavy metal vibrated throughout the shuttle, and both occupants covered their audials. Optimus fumbled with the stereo and finally managed to turn off the offending noise. "I'll never understand Roddy's interest in this junk," he sighed. "Here, this will be easier to listen to." Soon the air was filled with strains of a human's crooning tones.

"What is this?" Andromeda asked in curiosity.

"It's a collection of soft rock hits from Earth during the 1980s. I listened to this sort of music when I first came back online on Earth in order to understand the culture. A lot of it is quite pleasant. A lot better than what Rodimus listens to.." Listening to the lyrics, Andromeda agreed that it was quite pleasant. Optimus, of course, had neglected to mention that it was a collection of love songs.

Prime returned to his seat and took the controls as the small shuttle approached the warp gate. Andromeda gasped as the gate opened, fiery tendrils of energy licking at the corners, and the ship was swallowed up and spat out on the other side. Here, the alignment of the stars and planets was completely different. A smile tinged her lip components. Space was always so beautiful, and she was grateful for this private view, as opposed to being jostled on the always-crowded commuter shuttle to Earth.

Optimus snuck a sideways glance at her. She was like a kid in a candy store, gaping at everything at once. They hadn't even arrived yet! He was glad that she was having so much fun. It made him feel good. He hadn't been on a date in so long, and while he looked calm on the outside, on the inside he was shaking.

Turning back to the controls, Prime plotted a course to Earth. In a few short minutes, the shuttle was creating a fiery trail as it entered Earth's atmosphere. "Prime One to Metroplex Control," he radioed.

"This is Metroplex Control," a voice responded. "Prime One, you are cleared for launch. Proceed to docking port seventeen."

Andromeda was disappointed that the trip was over, but she watched, fascinated nonetheless, as Optimus expertly piloted the shuttle in for a perfect landing. 'He's quite talented,' she observed. He had no doubt picked up a lot of skills in his long life. To her, he was a mystery just begging to be explored. She fervently hoped that she would get the chance.

Ultra Magnus raced in to the shuttle bay as they emerged from the craft. "Optimus Prime! I didn't know you were coming..." His voice trailed off as he caught sight of the female by Prime's side. His optics widened so much that Prime feared they'd burst. "Ah, I see," the city commander observed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"Hello, Magnus," Optimus greeted his friend warmly. The two clasped hands.

"I didn't know you were coming," Magnus murmured quietly. "I take it this is a personal visit...?"

"I wanted to give her the special tour," Optimus whispered back. "Sorry I didn't inform you, but it wasn't a business trip. I didn't think it was important." From the questioning looks he was getting, he gathered that Magnus was very interested.

"Well, I could show you – erm, never mind," Magnus said hastily as Optimus glared at him. So it was a date! 'I'll be damned!' The city commander eyed his female companion. 'He certainly has good taste!'

"Well, you two have fun," Magnus said, still trying to register the fact that his long-time friend was actually dating. "Let me know if you need anything."

"We will, Magnus. Goodbye." Optimus took his date's arm and directed her out of the shuttle chamber, leaving Ultra Magnus shaking his head. Who'd 'a thought?

"So Ultra Magnus is an old friend of yours?" Andromeda asked as they headed down the corridor.

"Yes. We go way back, to the Golden Age of Cybertron. We were both different back then. Young and foolish. That all changed when the Decepticons attacked." His voice grew bitter. "Nothing was the same afterward."

Sensing that it was a sore subject, she asked, "So where are we headed first?"

"I thought we'd start with the command center and work our way outward from there."

The tour passed uneventfully, with Optimus narrating and Andromeda gaping at everything. The city itself was impressive, but this was also a living Transformer! They ended up in the auxiliary control room – Optimus explained regretfully that the main control room was off-limits. The femme struggled to understand how Metroplex worked. "How does he energize?" she wondered. "Does he ever recharge?"

"I DO NOT FULLY RECHARGE," a deep voice responded, and Andromeda shrieked. She hadn't realized that the giant city could hear her! "I CAN SHUT DOWN PARTS OF MY CEREBRAL UNIT IN ORDER TO REST. ENERGON IS FED INTO A HATCH THAT LEADS TO MY HOLDING TANKS."

Intrigued, the femme fired as many questions as she could think of. Metroplex seemed to enjoy her interest and answered them in detail. Finally, Optimus had to interrupt. "Metroplex, I'm sorry, but we have to get going. We're planning to catch the 8:40 showing at the drive-in at the South End."

"UNDERSTOOD. HAVE FUN."

"We will, Metroplex! Thanks for talking to me."

"ANYTIME."

Optimus guided the femme out the nearest exit and headed to the South End drive-in, created for Transformers and humans alike to spend their off-duty hours. They were surprised to find that a horror movie was playing. "Not my first choice by a long shot," Optimus sighed, "but I'm willing to give it a try."

"I've never seen a human horror movie."

"Believe me, you're not missing anything."

The two seated themselves on the grass and waited for the film to begin. Andromeda took the opportunity to study the clusters of humans that she saw. "What are they doing?" she whispered.

"They are consuming sustenance, called food," Optimus explained. "Their sustenance comes in many forms and has different tastes. Did you know that some human scientists are working on creating flavored Energon? Personally, I don't see the point, but maybe we're missing out on something."

"Who knows?" the femme shrugged. "I'm open to new experiences."

"As am I," he replied, looking at her meaningfully. She felt a happy flush fill her being. She could scarcely believe that she was here, by his side. She was afraid that she'd wake to find that it was all just a beautiful dream.

Andromeda glanced around, feeling the stares of dozens of optics on her. "What is everyone staring at?" she wondered. "Do I look funny?"

"You look wonderful," Optimus reassured her, and once again she felt the rush of warmth. "They're staring at me, I'm afraid. Because I've got such a high-ranking position, people are always curious about my private life." He sighed. "I don't have very much free time as it is. I've tried my best to keep my private life just that way: private." A guilty tone entered his voice. "Look, I'm sorry I dragged you into this. The staring takes some getting used to. As long as you're with me, you'll be stared at too."

"That's all right," she soothed. "It's a small price to pay to be with you."

Optimus turned to her in surprise. It was his turn to feel the flush of happiness. He was just so afraid he'd say or do something wrong and she'd vanish into the night. "I'm going to get some Energon treats. Be right back."

She smiled at his retreating back, admiring his strong form. He was taller than most Transformers, and walked with a sense of purpose. He had a unique combination of power and gentleness that drew her like a moth to a flame.

In a few minutes, he was back with a bucket of tiny Energon squares. As he sat down, the large screen flickered to life, and the assembled crowd turned their attention to the movie. It was even worse than Optimus had expected. Lots of human gore and screaming. Halfway through the film he whispered, "Is this too much for you?"

"No," his date whispered back. "It doesn't bother me, since it looks fake. I'm learning a lot about human anatomy, actually. Say, what are those two doing?"

Optimus turned his attention back to the screen and snickered. "That is how humans reproduce, Andromeda. They go through a mating ritual."

"Ohh," she breathed in understanding. He tried not to laugh out loud.

"That sort of thing is always included in these horror movies. I've never been able to figure out why." He tried not to look at the screen. There were a lot of similarities between the way humans and Transformers "did the deed", whether it was through Quintesson design or through Vector Sigma's and Primus's own plans, and it embarrassed him to witness such a scene with his new girlfriend. Uncomfortable, he thrust his hand into the Energon treat bucket and grasped something metal. It was her hand. Oops.

Andromeda gave him a shy smile as he looked at her in embarrassment. She took his hand in her own, squeezing it lightly. She returned her attention to the film, not seeing the way he gaped at her.

'She—she doesn't mind! I think she likes it!' he thought wildly. He hastily looked at the screen, afraid she'd catch him gawking at her. Her fingertips caressed his hand, sending small tingles up his arm. Suddenly the movie was the last thing from his mind.

He'd had no idea how he'd made it through the rest of the movie. He had no memory of it, not that he really cared – all he could focus on was that small, warm hand encased in his own. He hated it when anyone touched him that he didn't know well, but this... this was different...

All too soon, the movie was over. Optimus had half-hoped that they could sit here forever. But of course, that was not to be, so he reluctantly stood and pulled Andromeda to her feet. "That was... an odd movie," she observed.

"It was quite odd, wasn't it?" he replied. He let go of her hand reluctantly when he realized they had once again become a spectacle.

"I don't much care!" she laughed, and Optimus soaked up the sound. Her laughter was like music to him. "I was with you, and that's all that matters."

Optimus reflected on that statement as they headed back to his shuttle. Could it be true? Did it really not matter what they did, as long as they were together? He'd thought the movie was simply awful, but just having her by his side made him want to watch it ten more times.

All too soon, they were airborne, heading back for Cybertron. Prime felt a sudden pang as he realized the date was almost over. He hadn't enjoyed himself this much in so long, and he wanted it to never end. But there was something he still had to do...

Placing the ship on autopilot, he swiveled his seat to face her. "Andromeda."

His somber tone pricked at her happy mood. "Yes, Optimus?" she replied, turning to face him.

"There's... some things I have to tell you. They aren't pleasant, but they have to be said."

"I'm listening." The femme leaned forward, giving him her undivided attention.

'Here goes...' "As the Autobot leader, it's my job to set an example for others. I've always tried to set a good example, but it hasn't always been easy. Sometimes I've had to refrain from doing things that I'd like for that very reason." He shifted uncomfortably. "This is going to sound harsh – I don't mean it that way – but..." He sighed, looking at his hands. "If we're going to have a relationship together, it has to be discreet. No public displays of affection. I won't be able to acknowledge my feelings for you in front of others. I'm sorry, but I can't show preferential treatment for anyone I care about. My people will lose faith in me. When others are around, we have to remain on formal terms." He looked down at the shuttle floor, shoulders hunched, as if expecting a rebuke.

"I understand."

"What?" He wasn't sure he had heard properly.

She smiled at him gently, reaching out to take his hand. "I understand, Optimus. I know you're under a lot of pressure to set a good example, and I don't want to interfere with that. I know that you're of a much higher rank than me, and I'd never want anyone to think that you're biased on my behalf. I also understand how precious your personal life is, and I respect that. I would never ask you to change. I like you just the way you are. It's a shame that everyone can't know how happy we are, but I would never want to affect your image. To the rest of the world, we'll only be good friends."

"Thank Primus," he whispered, still unable to look at her. "You're one in a million." He sighed heavily. "There's another matter..."

"Yes?" she prodded gently. Poor Optimus. He could never just relax and enjoy himself. He had to think twice about everything he did.

"By being with me, you are putting yourself in great danger. My enemies will become your enemies too, and a lot of them are very dangerous. They will not hesitate to use you against me. You could be hurt, or worse," he winced at the thought, "just to cause me pain. If that happened, I could never forgive myself."

She knew, without being told, that Alita had been the bait for several traps laid out for Optimus Prime. But he had gone to save her, all the same, knowing the risks. "I don't mind. Being with you is worth the risk."

He had been wrong. She was one in a billion. And he knew that nothing could keep them apart.


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter Five

Time passed, more quickly than either of them wanted. Both of them wanted to reach out, to seize the moment and hold it, but it slipped through their fingers like sand. They were questioned often about their relationship, and to everyone but their closest friends, the answer was the same: they were just good friends, having become close after the cave-in. That was all anyone needed to know. It was none of their business, anyway.

They looked forward to each date with much enthusiasm, using the opportunity to explore new places. They each took turns choosing their destination. In this, at least, they could be equal. It was difficult for both of them to put such a distance between them in their professional lives, but it had to be done. It had also become difficult for them to find time to see each other. Optimus had all kinds of responsibilities, and Andromeda had her tube project, but somehow they found the time to be together. They made the time.

One day, Optimus surprised her in her quarters, taking her on an impromptu trip to Earth. He wouldn't give away any other details of their trip, and she was hard-pressed to restrain her excitement. Where could they be going?

Finally Optimus found a small clearing and touched down, creating only a small bump of a landing. Andromeda sprang out of the shuttle as soon as the hatch was open. She froze as she tried to focus on... a roaring sound? "What is that?"

"You'll see." Even behind the mask, she could tell that Optimus was grinning. She allowed him to direct her, and soon an amazing sight came in to view. She saw liquid, masses and masses of it, surging up in waves to lap at a grainy surface. "Oh!" she gasped. She had never seen such a thing before! Water was a preciously rare substance on Cybertron. The only rain that occurred on their planet was acid rain.

"It's called the beach," Prime's rumbling bass voice explained. "That large body of salt water is an ocean, and that grainy substance is sand. Let's go closer – there's more I want to show you."

She barely noticed as he took her arm, helping her over the shifting sand. As they approached the shoreline, she noticed quite a few small... things... on the sand. "What is this?" she asked, picking up one of the objects.

"That is a shell. There are many kinds on the shore here, but most of them are broken. There are many creatures in the ocean that use shells for protection. When they are no longer needed, they wash up on the shore."

Andromeda was astounded. "You mean this was once a creature's home?"

Optimus laughed at her surprise. "Yes. The Earth is home to many varieties of life, and a good deal of them live in the ocean." His gaze grew sad. "For the most part, the lifeforms on Earth live in peace. We are the only species on Cybertron, and we cannot even keep peace amongst ourselves."

"Now don't go getting all philosophic on me!" she scolded. "It's too beautiful out here for that!"

"You're right!" Optimus took her arm once more, and they walked in companionable silence. She occasionally asked a question, or he pointed out something of particular interest.

"You know," he whispered, "I've never shown this place to anyone. You're the only person I've ever taken here."

She was speechless. This place was special, and she was so touched that he wanted to share it with her! Only her!

They continued on, wrapped up in the moment. Suddenly a movement caught the femme's eye. "What's going on up there?"

Optimus looked up, and in front of a high dune sat two humans, passionately making out. He chuckled, "I think they are initiating a mating ritual. Come, let's leave them in peace."

They both lost track of time as they walked along the coast, listening to the roar of the surf and watching the water lap at the sandy shore. "I can't believe all of this," she murmured softly. "It's all so beautiful."

Optimus smiled down at her. "Not as beautiful as you."

She turned to him in surprise. He thought she was beautiful! His hand caressed her cheek, and her optics flickered. The moment was perfect, and how she wished he would kiss her! She leaned forward slightly, wishing for it with her whole body, but it didn't come. Eventually he pulled his hand back, and she couldn't help but feel disappointed. Wasn't he ever going to kiss her? She would gladly kiss him, but she didn't want to move too fast, and besides, that infernal mask was always in the way!

"It's time to go."

She sensed a note of regret in his voice. She didn't want to go either, but they both had a long day ahead of them. She just wished that she knew for sure how Optimus felt about her!

They didn't have a chance to see each other until the following week. Andromeda opened the door to her quarters to find Optimus standing there. "Come with me!" he exclaimed. "There's a meteor shower – I've got private seats! It's going to start in just a minute!"

"What the-? Slow down!" she exclaimed as Optimus half-dragged her through the corridors to the top of one of Iacon's spires. He opened up a door, and they emerged on the roof of the spire. There was enough room for both of them to sit, but not much more.

Her attention was quickly drawn to the starry sky, now laced with streaking meteors. "Oh, wow!" she gasped. She had seen plenty of meteors in her time, but each time it filled her with a sense of awe.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" he murmured, putting an arm around her. She snuggled against him and watched the display of nature's fireworks.

They sat in companionable silence, watching the awesome display. Optimus found his gaze drifting from the sky to the beautiful female beside him. He'd rather look at her any day! He heard her sigh in contentment and settle back against him. His spark swelled with affection. Primus, he was really falling for her! He felt a wave of emotion so strong that it shook him to the core, frightening him with its intensity.

Nervously, he reached up and removed his battle mask with a shaking hand. Only a select few had ever seen his face. He had first worn the mask to disguise his emotions and confuse the enemy, but soon he had come to depend on it. It gave him a small measure of privacy that he clung to. Now, finally, he was ready to share his true self with the femme that he cared about.

Andromeda felt a touch on her shoulder, and she turned to find her lips captured in the sweetest, gentlest kiss she'd ever experienced. She froze for a second in shock, gasping against his mouth, and he began to draw back, fearful that he'd gone too far, but she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back into the kiss. The entire experience was amazing – his lips were gentle and so warm, pressing against hers ever so slightly. He tasted like sweet Energon, and she found that she could not get enough of him. She sensed a shyness in his kiss, a fear that she would pull away, so she pulled him closer, deepening the kiss, assuring him that she wanted more.

At last they broke apart, panting slightly, drawing in air through their auxiliary intakes. "Wow," Optimus whispered. He had forgotten how powerful a simple kiss could be.

A slim hand reached out to touch his face, and he flinched, forcing himself to not draw back. He sat stock-still, trembling inside, as her fingers traced the planes of his face, down to his strong jaw.

She was amazed at how much he resembled Rodimus without the mask. "You are so handsome," she whispered, and he breathed a giant sigh of relief.

"I was so afraid you think I was ugly." He looked down in embarrassment.

"Why would I think that?" she asked, staring at him in surprise.

"I don't know. It's not like I take this mask off for everyone. Maybe they couldn't bring themselves to tell me I was ugly."

She giggled and slapped his broad chest. "You can be so silly, Optimus! But you really are handsome. I could look at you all day and never get tired."

"Awww," he muttered, looking away bashfully. She wasn't having any of that, so she pulled him in for another planet-shaking kiss.

Later, Optimus found himself wandering down the corridor, humming to himself. He laughed softly as he pressed the door chime. A moment later, Rodimus answered the door. He took one look at his friend's beaming face and knew that something exciting had happened.

"Are you alone?" Optimus asked.

"Yup! For once," Roddy replied. "Come on in already! Don't keep me in suspense!"

Optimus whooped and grabbed his son in a bear hug as soon as he was in the door. "Whoa, man! Don't crush me!" the younger Prime exclaimed.

"I did it, Roddy! I finally kissed her!" Prime's face was aglow with happiness.

"Really? No slag! About time! So, what did she think?"

"She must have liked it. She kissed me back!" Optimus ducked his head. "And she said I was handsome!" He wandered through his friend's quarters and flung himself onto the large recharging berth, grinning at the ceiling.

"She'd better say that!" Roddy laughed. "I've got your face, you know!" He was so happy for his friend. This was just what Optimus had needed for so long. Roddy wished them both the best in the world.


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six

"So things are going well with that girlfriend of yours?" Ultra Magnus asked as he followed his longtime friend to his office. He had some business to attend to on Cybertron, but he made a point of visiting his friends as well.

"Quite well, Magnus."

Magnus sensed a smile in those words. "Glad to hear it."

The two entered Prime's office. Optimus flipped on the lights and circled the large desk to check his e-mail. "What the-?" he exclaimed.

Ultra Magnus heard some strange female moaning noises... coming from the computer? He walked over to Prime's side and peered at the monitor. He saw instantly what had Prime so shocked. On the screen sat a female Transformer missing her armor plating. Andromeda's head had obviously been pasted on another femme's body. "Ooh, baby, click me again!" the screen saver purred.

Optimus frantically punched a sequence of keys, but to no avail. "I don't believe this!" he roared. "This time Rodimus has gone too far! A tour of visiting dignitaries is supposed to come through here in a matter of astroseconds! I can't have them see this!" He fumbled for his communicator and desperately signaled a tech. Magnus choked back a snicker. It was a bad situation, to be sure, but it was humorous as well.

"So what are you going to do?" Magnus asked him.

"I'll tell you what I'm going to do!" the elder Prime growled, causing his friend to take a step back. "I'm going to show that little twit who's boss around here! I'm going to get him back for every trick he's pulled on me!" Suddenly his snarl disappeared, replaced with a sly look. Magnus was intrigued. He'd never seen his friend look so devious! "Mark my words, Magnus. This is a battle I intend to win!"

The next day, Rodimus came into work as usual, opened the door between the adjoining offices, and sat down to look through the day's reports. Absently, he reached out to the vidphone and dialed his extension to check his personal messages. Listening to the first message, Roddy's mouth fell open in shock, then his brow furrowed. "Must be a wrong number," he decided. He skipped over to the next message. Then to the next. Thirteen messages in all, and they were all more or less alike – messages from men filled with innuendo and suggestion. Saying such disgusting things! It was more than even Roddy could stand!

"What is going on here?" he muttered. Glancing into the adjoining office, he saw Optimus staring fixedly at his own computer screen. Was it his imagination, or was there an unusually merry twinkle in his friend's optics? "Optimus! Hey, Op! Do you know anything about this slag on my voicemail?"

"What about your voicemail, Roddy?"

The reply was innocent enough, but there was the slightest hint of amusement that gave Roddy suspicion. "I'll be damned!" he exclaimed, jumping up and hurrying into the other office. "You *do* have something to do with this, don't you?" He laughed. "I didn't think you had it in you, Op! Okay, I admit it, I've had it coming. Now can you take care of this mess and get it resolved?"

Prime looked his protégé dead in the optics. "No."

Rodimus gaped at him, not sure that he had heard right. "What do you mean, no?"

"I mean no, Roddy." His voice was soft but firm. "I've had enough of your childish pranks. It's about time you got a little in return."

"Yeah, whatever," the younger Prime muttered crossly, heading back to his own office. "I can take whatever you dish out!"

The door slid closed between them, cutting off the view of Prime's smirk reflected in his optics. "That's what you think!"

Several days later, Rodimus was a lot less amused and a lot more irritated. The door chime to his office sounded. "Come in!" he snapped.

The door opened, and a delivery courier wheeled in the most god-awful statue he had ever seen! It was a hideous plaster sculpture of a giant baby holding a miniature mother. "What in the name of the inferno is this crap?" he yelled. "Who ordered this?"

The courier quailed under the tirade. "Um, you did, sir, according to this shipping bill." Rodimus took the paper and looked it over, snarling. The courier continued. "Um, it's my duty to leave this here, sir. If there's some problem, you can sort it out with the company that sent it." He deposited the monstrosity in a corner and fled with his transport dolly.

Roddy rubbed the back of his head as he stared at the bill of sale. A short bark of laughter escaped him. Optimus was sure going to a lot of expense to pull this crap on him. Unless... a sense of horror filled him, and he lunged for the computer terminal, pulling up his credit file. Yup, there it was... this abomination was charged to his account! Slag on a new paint job! He launched into a new tirade, shouting colorful obscenities in several different languages. He pulled back his fist and stopped himself just short of bludgeoning the statue to dust. He'd have to keep this awful thing in mint condition if he wanted to return it and get his credits back. Crap.

His week did not improve from there. His e-mail and voicemail was continually bombarded by propositions from the lowest male scum... he couldn't get any peace from it! He had once overlooked an urgent message from Kup amidst all the filth and had really gotten a reaming for it. He had been awakened every single night that week at a god-awful hour by myriad pranks – the most creative one had been the male stripper. He had to give Optimus credit for creativity.

'How is he doing all this stuff?' he wondered. Roddy surmised that Optimus Prime had somehow broken into his personal account and somehow solicited the messages on his e-mail and voicemail accounts, and had also somehow gained access to his financial accounts to pay for all of this. That was the key to all of this. He sat back and rubbed his face, the gears in his sharp mind starting to turn. It was his brand of sharp thinking that had served him well as the Autobots' second-in-command.

Hm, let's see now... Optimus was too clever by half, and Roddy was sure that he had some strong computer skills and could no doubt hack an unprotected system, but the Primes' accounts were very carefully protected with numerous firewalls and encryption algorithms. They had even set their own best hackers against the accounts in order to find weaknesses and seal them. If the Autobot leaders' accounts were ever compromised, it would be nothing short of a catastrophe. Rodimus was quite sure that Optimus couldn't have gained access on his own. So he would have to have help... but who would do such a thing?

Roddy mentally ran through the short list of those who had the proper security access, and filtered it for names of individuals who were friends with Optimus Prime. Finally, it came down to just one certain possibility, one that boggled his mind. Kup! He could not believe it! It was the Security Chief himself! The 'bot that had been his mentor all these years! Kup had been conspiring against him! Then again, maybe it wasn't so surprising after all. Kup had often liked to say that Roddy was too cocky for his own good and needed to be taken down a peg or two. And if Optimus was the one to do the task, so much the better.

Rodimus had gotten up and gone charging down to the Security Chief's office, demanding an explanation, and emerged several minutes later, bewildered. Kup had laughed at him! In his face! Roddy knew when he was beat. Consulting the base's internal computer, he determined that Optimus was in his office, working late in order to make up for the time he'd taken off while dating his ladylove. He slunk through the halls, hoping nobody would see him.

Optimus silently opened the door when he rang, as if expecting him. Rodimus bit his lip – damn, swallowing his pride was hard. "Well?" the senior Prime demanded, folding his arms.

Rodimus threw his arms up in the air. "Okay, okay, I'm sorry! I swear I won't pull any more pranks! Just cut it out, all right?"

He could swear that Optimus was smirking at him. "All right, Roddy, if I have your word."

Roddy was still curious. "What did you do to get all those awful messages on my voicemail?"

Yup, it was definitely a smirk. "I left a few... interesting messages on the gay fetish newsgroups from your account."

Roddy's jaw fell open. He was impressed! "Wow, Op! I didn't think you had it in you! That was real sneaky!"

So, the prank war had ended in a truce... for the time being.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

"Hold on, I've almost got it. A bit higher on the left end.. that's it. Okay, let's get this piece welded!" The dark-blue femme strained to hold up the middle as the welder grasped the right end and began to weld the beam into place.

"Say, that beam looks too heavy for you! Here, let me help."

The small band of tunnel workers turned to gape as the large form of the Autobot leader approached. He shooed off Andromeda and the mech that was helping her, easily hefting the beam with one hand.

The femme gaped at him as if he'd sprouted another head. "Optimus... Prime, sir!" she gasped, catching herself. She'd nearly used his name informally in front of the others. "We weren't expecting you... we haven't prepared—"

"Nonsense!" Prime waved his free hand at her. He made the heavy metal beam seem like it was as light as a feather. Her hands free, she saluted, and he returned the gesture with his free hand. "I thought I'd make a surprise visit and check on your progress. I didn't want to bother with any fuss and fanfare." He glanced around appreciatively. "You've done even better than I've expected! You're to be commended, Lieutenant."

Andromeda felt the heat rising to her face and was fervently glad that Transformers did not blush. "Thank you, sir," she murmured, "but I can't take all the credit. I've got a good team."

"I can see that. You've all made some impressive progress here. At this rate, the tube will be finished months ahead of schedule."

Once the beam was firmly welded into place, he released it and turned to his beloved. "Lieutenant, may I have a word with you?" He gestured to a secluded area of the cavern that was being excavated and constructed.

"Of course, sir," she replied, the formality feeling awkward. They had been kissing rather passionately in her quarters just a few days ago.

"Do you have a completed inventory of the supplies you need?" he asked as they moved away from the workers, who were staring at them.

"Almost, Commander. I have the list compiled, but I'd like to review it with my crew before submitting it. You'll have it on your desk by 1700, I promise." Satisfied that this was nothing but a business discussion, the workers turned away and resumed their duties.

Once they were out of earshot, Optimus Prime leaned over and whispered, "I didn't come by to check on the project. I had an ulterior motive."

"Is that so?" Andromeda whispered back teasingly.

"Yes. I was thinking of you, and I just couldn't wait to see you again."

The femme felt herself practically melt on the spot. He had taken time out of his busy schedule just to see her! Because he missed her! "Was that bit with the beam just a desire to help, or an excuse to show off?"

He grinned, and she could see it in his optics. "I was showing off. Was hoping to impress you." He flickered one optic sensor in a wink.

"You did," she assured them, quashing the impulse to reach out and touch his arm.

He gazed at her with a feeling of frustration, wishing he could kiss her. Primus, sometimes he hated his own stupid rules of conduct! He rocked back and forth on his feet, not wanting to leave just yet but knowing he couldn't linger any longer. He had already spent time that he didn't really have. "Listen, I have to go now," he said softly. "I'll see you later tonight, okay?"

"I'm sorry, I can't," she sighed. "I'm going to Polonus Two with a few of my coworkers to investigate some new excavation equipment. It's supposed to be state-of-the-art and would really help us out down here. I put a purchase requisition on your desk – I know that's not really your department, but I needed to request a budget extension. I think it will be worth it."

He nodded. "I'll review it as soon as I return to my office, since you're leaving so soon. If these new excavators are as remarkable as you claim, I'm sure there will be no problem granting the budget extension." He lowered his voice again. "Can I see you when you get back? I've really been missing you."

"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow evening."

Little did she know that there would be some unforeseen delays...

"Optimus Prime! Prime, Commander, sir!"

The tall Autobot leader turned to face the young communications officer as he raced up and saluted. "What is the problem, ensign?" he asked.

"Sir, Commander sir! Autobot shuttle en route to Polonus Two has been attacked and seized by the Decepticons!"

"What?" He could scarcely process the news. "Has this been confirmed?"

"Yes, sir! State officials of Polonus Two extend their regrets that they were not able to help."

"Very well, ensign," the commander rumbled in his bass tone. "Try to pinpoint the location of the captured shuttle and notify me immediately. Also contact Springer and have him arrange a rescue squad. He is authorized to prepare the flagship for immediate departure."

"Aye, sir!" the ensign saluted and rushed off to fulfill his duties.

Optimus Prime turned and headed for the communications room, all the while feeling a dull roar beginning in his head. No! Not his beloved – no, no, no!

Springer had the rescue crew and a small battalion mobilized in record time, but their departure was delayed. Ionized gasses from the Polonus Nebula made it difficult to track any ships in the area, and it was actually seven hours later that the Decepticon ship was located. The small Autobot cruiser was nowhere in sight, and Prime surmised that it was either captured or destroyed. He was willing to bet, though, that the Decepticons had taken prisoners. Their position had been extremely weak since the second Golden Age, and their return from the Gamma Quadrant where the plasma energy had thrown them had been extremely rough – Autobot intelligence had later surmised that Scorponok had entered an unstable wormhole back to the Alpha Quadrant and had nearly been torn apart by its energies. All they could really do now was make a few random attacks and menace several small planets.

Finally all was in readiness, and the small squadron was waiting for the okay from Flight Control to blast off. Grabbing his rifle from subspace, Optimus Prime hurried onto the flagship. Rodimus turned to gape as the command center doors slid open to admit the new occupant. "What the slag?" he yelled. "Optimus, you are not supposed to be here! You know it's not worth it to send both Primes on such a mission! Cripes, you're the one that came up with that rule! Kup will tear off my head and eat it if I let you come."

"I'm not leaving, Roddy," the elder Prime said firmly, starting to pace the floor.

"What do you mean you're not—oh." Suddenly this whole craziness made sense. "It's her, isn't it? That's why you're so worked up, why you want to come along so badly."

The red and blue Autobot suddenly whirled and punched the wall with all of his strength, making an appreciable dent. "Dammit, Roddy! Why did this have to happen? It was just supposed to be a stupid routine trip! Now she could get hurt, or – worse." He choked on the words, unwilling to consider all the terrible things that could be happening to his sweet Andromeda right now. "I've got to save her! Before it's too late."

"Okay, okay," Roddy soothed. "Just calm down and take it easy. Panicking isn't going to help anybody." He supposed it would be all right to bend the rules just this once. Optimus clearly wasn't going to leave until his femme was safe in his arms, and Rodimus was afraid to leave his friend alone in such a state. A slight shuddering signaled the ship's takeoff. They were underway, and whatever was going to happen was going to happen soon.

The three-hour trip was spent mostly with Optimus Prime pacing and Rodimus Prime trying to calm him down. He'd never seen his friend like this before... so agitated, so nervous... so worried. The Optimus he knew always kept his emotions tightly under wraps, using them to his advantage, but now he just seemed lost and confused. Unsure how to deal with this new situation that had cut him off at the knees.

"All hands, red alert!" the ship-wide comm system blared. "Approaching Decepticon ship. All hands to battle stations!"

"Let's do it!" Rodimus whooped and burst out from the command center. Optimus grimly disengaged the safety on his laser rifle and followed suit. Springer was already mobilizing the first wave of attackers as the Aerialbots engaged the tractor beam. Arcee and Sureshot were already firing the flagship's mighty guns. The large Decepticon battle cruiser loomed on the viewscreen. It was big and mighty, but no match for the indomitable Autobot flagship.

"Alright!" Skydive yelled. "Magnetic junction stabilized."

"Boarding party, do your thing!" Springer yelled, and the first wave surged forward onto the enemy ship. Rodimus moved to stop his co-commander, but Optimus would have nothing of it, shoving his friend aside roughly. Roddy only shrugged – he didn't mind missing out on the action this once. He was certain that the Decepticons would have their hands full with a raging mad Optimus Prime.

Meanwhile, Optimus punched, kicked and shot anything that got in his way. He was possessed by a fury that he had not felt in a very long time. He grabbed a 'Con and shoved his laser rifle under the hapless robot's chin. "Where is she?" he roared.

"Wh-who?" the Decepticon stammered, clearly frightened out of his wits by the furious Autobot commander.

Optimus snarled and pressed the gun barrel harder against the 'Con's metallic hide. 'Fool!' he told himself. 'None of the Decepticons probably even know her name! Ask something sensible.' The Decepticon squirmed in terror and looked like he was ready to lose control of his waste tank. "Okay, creep, where is the brig?"

"Down the third corridor to the right! You can't miss it! Just don't kill me, please!"

Prime tossed the whimpering 'Con aside and headed down the corridor. Normally he'd have some compassion for the frightened robot, but not today. Today all bets were off. He figured he was lucky to find a low-ranking Decepticon – those that had more than the most rudimentary training could withstand some considerable interrogation. He shoved all thoughts out of his mind, only wanting to rescue the captured Autobots, and... her.

"We got 'em!" Springer's triumphant cry sounded. "Okay, 'Bots, back to the flagship! I left the 'Cons a goodbye present, and we've got only three minutes until this place blows sky-high!" Hearing that, Optimus stifled the impulse to check on the rescued prisoners and instead concentrated on clearing a path for them. Red lights began to flash and a klaxon wailed. "All hands abandon ship!" a frantic voice cried over the comm system. Many of the Decepticons would survive. Prime did not begrudge them that. As long as their precious ship was gone, they would be relatively harmless until they could build another one.

The posse of Autobots jogged briskly but orderly through the Decepticon ship, back to their ride home. Prime paused at the junction holding the two ships together and shooed in the rest of his people, wanting to make sure that nobody was left behind. As the last 'bot streaked by, he jumped through the hatch. "Everyone accounted for?" he yelled. Precious seconds were ticking by.

"Attack squadron accounted for!" Springer bellowed.

"Shuttle team present and accounted for, sir!" Twin Twist, one of the captured robots, responded.

"Then let's go! Cut the ship loose and head for open space! We have less than a minute left!" Optimus commanded.

"Aye, sir! Magnetic junction terminated!" Skydive reported.

"We're underway, sir!" somebody yelled through the confusion.

The massive ship ignited its thrusters, racing away from the doomed Decepticon craft. Everyone turned to face the viewport, which now displayed the aft view of the rapidly retreating Decepticon spacecraft. Whoops and cheers filled the cabin as the ship exploded. There was no sound, but a small shockwave traveled through the surrounding space. The large Autobot flagship easily outran the shockwave, ferrying its passengers to safety.

Optimus Prime breathed a very private sigh of relief, stashing his weapon in subspace and hiding his trembling hands behind his back. His second-in-command noticed the attack of nerves and took over, approaching the rescued ship's crew. "Okay, guys, I want all of you in the war room, ASAP." He herded the small group towards the strategy room, Optimus lagging behind. Rodimus gestured for everyone to be seated, but the Autobot leader elected to stand, face expressionless, too nervous to sit. His second hoped that the nervousness would not be contagious, and he sought to distract the others from it. He folded his hands and sat forward. "All right, people, I want to know what happened out there."

The group looked at each other, unsure who should begin. Finally, Topspin spoke up. "Things were proceeding according to schedule just fine, Commander, when suddenly the Decepticon ship just... came out of nowhere. We think they were using the distortion of the nebula to hide. They snagged us with a tractor beam; we tried to hit them with our weapons, but it didn't do much good. I guess we're lucky they didn't just blow us out of the sky, but they must have figured that we'd be worth more alive than dead."

Roddy nodded. "Mmm. Probably wanted to use you all as a bargaining tool."

"Were any of you abused?"

The assembled group turned as one to face the red and blue Autobot in surprise. They had almost forgotten that Optimus Prime was there.

"Uhhh, not really, sir," Hauler stammered, surprised at the blatancy of the question. The elder Prime usually tried to cushion the blow of his more painful questions and observations. "We were all interrogated, naturally, but we only got banged around a bit. Twin Twist and Topspin suffered the most damage since they ranked the highest of any of us."

Roddy's optics narrowed. "What did they want to know?"

Andromeda chose this moment to speak. "Just the usual questions, Commander. They wanted to know the defense capabilities of Cybertron and Earth, and if we had built any more fortress-cities. Seems they've been out of the loop for a long time and are trying to assess our position. We all told them lies, of course, but we tried not to be too blatant about it for fear of angering our captors."

"Wise plan. In my opinion, you all did very well." Rodimus looked slowly and carefully around the table. "Anything else of importance?"

"No, sir," everyone chorused, shaking their heads.

He clapped his hands. "Very well, then. I'll get Kup to debrief you all fully when we reach Iacon. For now, just relax and take a load off. You had a harrowing experience, and we're just glad to have you all back. Dismissed!"

The group rose as one and saluted Rodimus, and then Optimus on their way out. The two leaders exchanged meaningful glances. The elder Prime stopped Andromeda as she turned to exit. "Please wait a moment," he whispered. Roddy nodded at his friend and wordlessly left the two alone.

The second the doors slid shut, Optimus grasped her shoulders and shook her. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you? Primus, please tell me you're okay!"

The femme struggled to speak, but it came out a bit garbled. She put her hands out to try and stop the shaking. Optimus jumped and realized what he was doing, releasing her. She looked at him and smiled wearily. "I'm okay, Optimus. I'm really okay. Don't look so worried!"

He grasped her face gently but firmly in his hands, staring at her intently, as if looking for something. He then clasped her to his chest in a tight embrace that she thought would crush her. His hand smoothed over her head as he cradled her against him. "I was so afraid," he whispered. "Afraid that they'd do something terrible to you. Do you know what the Decepticons sometimes do to prisoners?"

The femme shuddered against him. "No, but I can guess," she whispered.

The large Autobot spoke in a choked voice, and Andromeda realized that he was holding back tears. "I was so afraid... afraid that they would... violate you." He could not bear to say the word 'rape'. "It happens, you know. And not just to Autobot prisoners." He heard her gasp at the implied meaning. Could such an abominable thing happen to Decepticon prisoners in Autobot custody? "It's a terrible story, but maybe if I tell you about it, it will help me somehow. It happened about five million years ago. The war was reaching an impasse, and each faction was scrambling to recruit anyone who could walk straight and carry a laser pistol. Needless to say, both sides ended up scraping the bottom of the barrel..."

(Author's note: This flashback contains violence and rape. Please be warned! If you are very sensitive and don't want to read that sort of thing, skip over to the end of the flashback.)

/ / / / /

Optimus Prime walked down the corridor, his shoulders drooping slightly. He was tired after working a long shift, trying to come up with a fresh battle strategy. They were so evenly matched with the Decepticons now that any little victory could make a difference.

He stopped short, feeling his fluids freeze as a shrill female scream echoed through the corridor. It sounded close by! His gaze darted around, searching for the source. Maybe it had come from the brig. That seemed to be a very likely possibility.

Optimus approached the prisoner brig warily, mentally fingering his weapon stored in subspace. If a prisoner had escaped, there could be a major security breach. He inched toward the cellblock, catching sight of a bored guard standing outside. "What is going on here?" he hissed.

"Uh, nothing..." the guard muttered, looking away. Optimus thought he looked very shifty. His instincts were screaming at him that something was very wrong! He pushed past the guard and raced toward the voices at the end of the corridor. He found the energy bars on the last cell deactivated, and the sense of dread nearly suffocated him. Ready to whip out his weapon at any second, he burst through the doorway... and stopped short. The scene before him had shocked him speechless for a moment. It was much, much more horrible than anything he could have anticipated. A female Decepticon – Ballast, he thought her name was – captured several days earlier, lay writhing against the far wall, her hands shackled above her head to a metal bolt, straining with her entire body to push away the burly mech atop her. Two other thug-like mechs held her still, one with a hand over her mouth, as the first one had his fun with her.

Prime's vocal module worked silently for a moment, too overcome with revulsion to speak. Finally he bellowed out, "WHAT IN THE INFERNO IS GOING ON HERE?"

The three mechs froze at the holler, looking up. The one atop the helpless femme laughed nervously. "Hiya, Chief," he stammered out. "We were, uh, just havin' a little fun with the prisoner here..."

"Fun?" The word was spoken softly, but there was a deadly edge to it that caused the other two mechs to back away nervously. The first one still didn't get the hint. "Fun? FUN?" Optimus roared. "You call this fun? Come here. I'll show you fun!" Arms that could crush a cinder block seized the mech by the shoulders and pulled him off of the female, throwing him violently against the wall. Before he could recover, the mighty Autobot leader struck him across the jaw with a right hook. "Come on!" he jeered. "Aren't you having fun yet?" He gave the male a strong knee in the abdomen, causing his victim to double over. He then stomped a few times on the thug's back as the injured mech struggled to protect himself.

Prime caught sight of the other two mechs trying to sneak away. "Where are you going? The fun's just getting started!" He leapt after the other two and cracked their heads together, then kicked their fallen bodies. He was shaking with rage, and it was all he could do to reign himself in before he dealt them a fatal blow. As much as he wanted to throttle them, killing them wouldn't undo what had already been done. "Get out!" he hissed, pointing at the door. "You are no longer Autobots! I am banishing you from Iacon, now and forever! And if I catch you back here again, I swear I will finish what I've started!"

The three picked themselves up from the floor, dazed and battered but relieved to see that they had a chance to escape. They raced for the exit as if the devil himself was on their heels.

Optimus Prime stared after them in fury, hands on his hips. They deserved so much worse, but he was just glad to wash his hands of them. A soft sobbing noise caught his attention, and he realized in his rage that he had forgotten all about the violated prisoner. The imprisoned femme was still chained helplessly to the wall, mercuric tears running down her face. The sight wrenched at him. He pulled his laser rifle from subspace, adjusting its output to a finer, more controlled beam. The prisoner cried out softly in despair at the sight, and Prime realized that she was afraid that he would shoot her. "Don't move," he said firmly. He aimed and fired, and the chains and the metal bolt securing them were obliterated. The captive lowered her arms, the shackles trailing broken chains from her wrists. She covered her face and sobbed.

Prime wracked his CPU, trying to think of the best, or amy way, really, to make the situation better. "Optimus Prime to Ratchet," he radioed his Chief Medical Officer.

"Ratchet here," the groggy reply came.

"I know you're off-duty, Ratchet, but this is an emergency that requires your expertise. Please meet me in the brig ASAP, and bring the black kit with you."

There was a stunned pause. "The black kit?" The CMO himself had coined the phrase for the forensic kit that was brought to a rape scene. "Yes, sir, I'll be there in no time!" He was up and moving before the sentence was out of his mouth.

Optimus paused, then activated his communicator again. "Optimus Prime to Alita one."

"Alita One here." Her voice also sounded like she had been pulled out of recharge.

"Alita, I've got a serious situation that requires your, um, feminine touch. Could you meet me in the brig? It's very urgent."

"Of course, Prime. I'll be right there."

Once that was out of the way, Optimus turned back to the femme, who cowered and sank to the floor, trying to cover herself. It was then that he realized that she was nude. He set about trying to find her armor coverings, all the while keeping his optics studiously averted. The chestplate was practically under his feet, and when he picked it up he realized it was bent. It had been ripped from her. Fighting down another wave of anger and revulsion, he bent it back into shape as best he could and handed it to her. She took it wordlessly and put it on, seemingly relieved to be partially covered. Optimus finally spotted her lower covering known as a sodpiece discarded in a corner. One set of hinges was bent, and the other was ripped away completely. He knew that it would not hold well, but it would do for now. He brought it over to her, looking away while she did her best to attach it.

Prime found himself at an absolute loss for words. What could he possibly say to comfort her? He knelt by her side, reaching out, and she tried to scuttle backwards, optics wide with fear, bumping into the wall. "I won't hurt you," he whispered. "I promise that nobody will hurt you again as long as you are here." He looked down. "I'm so sorry that this happened. Nobody deserves this. You may be our prisoner, but you still have rights."

"Th-those three. Will they be back?" the tear-streaked femme stammered, seeming terrified.

Optimus Prime's hands curled into fists. "Not if they want to survive," he growled. "I do not allow such a thing to happen in this army. They will never be welcome here again." He realized that she still had the shackles around her wrists. "Sit tight, and I'll go get the keys from the guard."

"NO!" The explosive word took him by surprise. Ballast gripped his arm with impressive strength for such a frail-looking female. "Please don't leave me here alone! Please!"

"Okay," he agreed, sitting back down beside her. He took her arm, noticing how delicate she was, and began to pry at the shackles. Within moments, he had ripped both of them off of her with raw force. She watched the spectacle with wide optics, astonished at his power.

"Prime! I'm here!" a feminine voice called.

"Last cell, Alita!" he replied.

A moment later, the pink commander of the Autobot femmes appeared in the doorway. Prime stood and approached her, talking in a low voice and gesturing to the huddled figure on the floor. Alita's optics grew large and horrified, and she gasped and covered her mouth, darting a gaze at the femme in the cell. She approached her slowly, arms spread to show she meant no harm. Ballast flinched and tried to back away, having faced the femme commander in battle and obviously feared her. "It's okay," Alita soothed her. "I'm here to help. Nobody will hurt you." The Decepticon began to sob once more, and the pink femme folded the purple one in her arms, holding her. Optimus breathed a quiet sigh of relief – he was so glad Alita was here. She could be much more comforting in such a situation than he was. He just felt too awkward to be of much use.

A few minutes later, Ratchet arrived, the infamous black kit in hand. The brutalized femme once again looked afraid, but everyone reassured her that he was here to patch her up. Ballast began to haltingly tell her story as Ratchet briskly yet gently began to gather fluid specimens and set about his repairs.

"Wait a minute," Optimus stopped her at one point. "Did you say that all three took turns with you?" The femme's silent nod was enough to convince him. He suddenly wished he had those three in front of him once more – he hadn't pummeled them nearly enough! And he was going to have a serious talk with Prowl about that shifty guard who had let the three thugs inside in the first place.

After several hours of painstaking repairs by Ratchet and gentle counseling by Alita, there was nothing more to be done. Optimus once again took the femme commander aside. "I'm going to let her go, Alita."

"You are?" she looked surprised. She knew that Optimus had hoped to make a prisoner exchange, and that her release would put them at a disadvantage.

"Yes, I am," he said firmly. "She can't stay here now. It's just too dangerous for her. Besides, I think she's been through enough already." The femme nodded in agreement. That was an understatement. "And I'm going to escort her back."

Now this she could certainly object to. "Optimus, no!" she exclaimed, not caring if she was using his informal name in the wrong situation. "It's too much of a risk. Everything could fall apart if you were captured. Let me go. I'm more expendable."

"Hell, no!" he exclaimed, and it was obvious that he wasn't standing on ceremony either. "I certainly don't want the Decepticons getting their hands on you, especially after what happened here. They might just decide to extract a little 'revenge' on you. I am not taking that risk. I'm going. End of discussion."

Alita knew that stubborn look of his far too well, and she figured it would be useless to challenge him at this point. It was like talking to a brick wall. "Okay, have it your way, but keep sending out a homing signal. If you get captured, terminate the signal and I'll know to send help."

Optimus did not reply, and she knew she had gotten her way at least in this small matter. The Decepticon was ready to go, and Optimus took her firmly by the shoulder, guiding her. Alita watched them go, then headed to the communications room to track his signal.

"Where are we going?" Ballast asked, but her captor did not respond. She was beginning to panic again when she reached a door. It opened to reveal... the outdoors? She turned to face the Autobot commander, speechless.

"You're free to go," he told her, not looking at her. "It's the least I could do after what's happened. I will escort you to within one megamile of Darkmount to make sure that your trip is safe."

The femme looked at him fearfully, not sure which would be worse – to return to Darkmount with Optimus Prime shadowing her, or to go by herself, when those evil mechs could be laying in wait for her. "Okay, let's go," she said nervously, still not quite able to believe that they were releasing her.

Prime let her take the lead while he hung back slightly. He most certainly did not want to become a Decepticon target. They traveled most of the way in silence. Finally, several short megamiles from Darkmount, the femme found some of her courage returning and snarled, "So much for the vaunted Autobot code. This would have never happened in Megatron's brig."

Optimus was quite curious but kept his tone even. "How so?"

Ballast laughed derisively. "He obviously has better control of his troops than you do. Any female Autobot prisoner can be threatened or slapped around a bit, but if she is violated in any way, there is a terrible punishment. Megatron has decreed that any male to do such a thing is to be immediately castrated." Optimus mentally winced at the thought and had a compelling urge to protect his 'goods', but he was in alt mode. "Needless to say, it's been very effective."

"But why would Megatron make such a rule?" Prime wondered. "What does he care if an Autobot female is abused?"

He could hear the mental shrug in the femme's tone. "I don't know. Maybe because there are so few females left. Maybe because he has some perverse respect for them. Mind you, he has no problem with offering females better treatment or even a release in exchange for some 'favors', but nothing that is nonconsensual."

Optimus Prime was absolutely fascinated with this unusual look into Megatron's motives and the way he operated his army, but they were out of time. "Here we are," he said. "One megamile from Darkmount. You should be okay from here. And for what it's worth... I'm sorry."

The femme transformed to robot mode, looking as if she was going to say something, then changed her mind. She ran down the road to Darkmount as if demons were chasing her. Optimus watched her go, a heaviness creeping over him. If Megatron treated his female prisoners better than the Autobots did, what did that say about the Autobot cause? Could their noble code possibly survive? He swore then and there that only the most honorable and dedicated warriors would be let in to the Autobot ranks, and some of their policies would have to be revised. If they were to win this war, it had to be the Autobot way, or their victory would mean nothing.

/ / / / /

Optimus Prime came out of his recollection to find that he was still holding his beloved Andromeda in his arms. "You see why I was so afraid for you. Megatron may have some scruples, but Galvatron is just a wild card. He is capable of anything and everything."

"It wasn't your fault, what happened to Ballast," Andromeda told him, hugging him tightly. "Don't blame yourself for it."

Optimus sighed, looking miserable. "But it is my fault. I should have never let such horrible mechs into the Autobots in the first place, and I should have made sure that they had proper discipline." He sighed. "None of that matters now. What really matters is that you're safe." He rubbed his forehead against hers in a classic Cybertronian sign of affection. "I was so afraid I'd never see you again, that I'd never have a chance to tell you how I feel."

Andromeda felt a sudden sort of breathless anticipation take hold of her. Optimus tilted her head back slightly so he could look her directly in the optics. "Andromeda, I love you more than words can say. I love you so much that it frightens me. I scarcely know how to handle such strong emotions. Sometimes, out of nowhere, I find myself getting choked up over nothing because you mean so much to me. If I seem distant at times, it's because I just don't know how to deal with it. You are so precious to me, and I never want to lose you."

Andromeda felt happy tears start to leak from her optics. He loved her! "I love you too, Optimus," she whispered lovingly, caressing the side of his head. "I think I've always been in love with you. The very first time I laid optics on you, when I came back from my first deep space mission shortly before you crash-landed on Earth, I knew I was in love. I also knew that I could never have a chance with the magnificent Autobot leader. Even if you didn't have Alita, I knew you could never love someone as young and insignificant as me. I tried to make the feeling go away, to find happiness elsewhere, but none of those relationships ever worked. I just couldn't forget about you. When you lay dying in that cavern, I thought that a part of me would die with you. And when you asked me out, I felt like Primus himself was smiling at me. All of my dreams had finally come true."

Optimus stared at her incredulously. "You've loved me for most of your life, then," he whispered, and she nodded. "I don't know how I came to deserve you."

The femme smiled at him as happy tears streaked down her cheeks. "You were just being yourself. I know it's sounds crazy, but that cave-in was the best thing that happened to me."

Optimus looked like he was going to reply, but then he thought better of it and removed his mask, letting his kiss speak for him.

Finally, when they both came up for air, he began to sing to her softly, "Come what may, I'll always love you. Come what may, I'll always care."

She smiled at him. His singing was rather tuneless, but she did not want to change a thing about him. "Where did you get that from? An Earth song?"

He paused, thinking. "I'm not really sure. It just seemed appropriate."

She smiled and laid her head on his shoulder. "Well, I liked it. You should sing for me more often."

He smiled in return, holding her in his arms. "I'd rather hear you sing. Why don't you sing that love song that you sang to me after the cave-in? I've always liked that one."

As her clear soprano voice began to fill the room, he held her close and shut off his optics. It was a perfect moment, and he never wanted it to end. Now that she was safely in his arms, he never wanted to let her go.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

"I don't wanna think about it  
Don't wanna think clear  
Don't analyze  
What I'm doing here  
Wanna be impulsive  
Reckless  
And lose myself in your kiss"

- "Impulsive" – Wilson Phillips

Author's warning: This chapter contains adult themes. There is no explicit description, just some vague wording. If you feel you can't handle that, skip this chapter.

Time passed for the couple, and the months stretched into years. Gradually, Optimus began to open up emotionally to his beloved, and she was amazed both at the amount of pain and sorrow that he had faced in his life, and the braveness and resolve with which he had pressed on. For the Autobots, for his people, for no sake of his own. He trusted her more and more with his true self, and she saw his moods that few others were privy to: his moodiness, his occasional flare of temper. And there was the occasional despondency that threatened to turn into depression. Optimus had confided to her that he had suffered through bouts of depression during low points in his life. There was a darkness in his soul, and it nibbled away at him, and once or twice it had nearly eaten him alive. She sensed that there was even more that he was not telling her – that he had most likely contemplated suicide at one point, maybe even attempted it. The very thought tore her up inside. He was such a good person; he didn't deserve to feel like that.

Their two-year anniversary passed, and not too long afterward came the anniversary of Alita's death. For the first time, Optimus found himself willing to frankly talk about her, and discovered, to his surprise, that he no longer felt the searing pain of her loss. There was still a dull, hollow ache that he figured would never completely go away. Alita had been such a large part of his life, had even seemed to be part of his soul, and nothing could take her place. But he could now think of her fondly and without pain or regret. On the night that she died, the very night that Unicron had attacked Cybertron, Optimus had reached out to Andromeda, finally willing to discuss the one subject he had avoided: Alita One.

Andromeda was surprised when she entered his personal quarters that night. Optimus had a beautiful portrait of Alita hanging on the wall, and next to it now hung an equally beautiful portrait of herself. "My two lovely ladies," he said proudly.

Andromeda was struck speechless at being in the same category as Alita One. The couple sat down and discussed the events of the fateful night of Unicron's attack. Optimus had been dead at that point, but he had sensed the events that transpired through the Matrix. Andromeda, however, had witnessed the attack first-hand. The femmes had not participated in the Autobot exodus from Cybertron when it fell into Decepticon hands. They preferred, as always, to work as a guerrilla group to try to regain the planet. They had conducted several successful raids, but it was like hitting an elephant with a flyswatter. And then Unicron came and changed everything.

"It was terrible," the dark blue femme whispered, dreading the memory. "This giant robot, bigger than Cybertron itself, was trying to tear apart the planet! Shockwave was mobilizing the Decepticon fleet to try to counterattack, but Alita knew that it would be useless. She figured that our only chance of survival would be escape. So she herded us all on a shuttle and set it for automatic takeoff. We didn't know what she had planned before it was too late." She choked off a sob. "She took a small cruiser and distracted Unicron so that our shuttle could safely escape. She gave her life so that the femmes would not become extinct."

Optimus sat wordlessly, massaging her shoulders, contemplating the implication of her words. Alita had been brave and selfless right to the end. She understood that the Autobot femmes were a dying breed and did everything in her power to make sure that they would not become extinct. It was then that Alita's spark had entered the Matrix and helped once again to make a difference, to use her spark's essence, along with Prime's own and all the others in the Matrix, to destroy Unicron. He was fervently glad that he had not witnessed Unicron's attack first-hand. After an entire century of rebuilding, the damage still remained.

"It must have been a terrible sight," he whispered.

"Yes, it was," the femme sighed mournfully. "The worst thing was that we couldn't even fight back against Unicron. To do so would call attention to ourselves and negate Alita's sacrifice. All we could do was watch."

Optimus drew the trembling femme against him, rubbing her back comfortingly. "You couldn't have done anything. Only the Matrix could have helped. To Alita, the survival of the femmes was everything. I think that she was honored to sacrifice her life for their survival."

Andromeda gave him a wavering smile. "I served under Alita One for only a few short years, while the Decepticons occupied Cybertron, but I know that she was a remarkable femme. She was always one step ahead of the 'Cons, always thinking of a way to better our chances for survival. She was very matronly, and I could tell how tight the bond was between her and the other femmes." She looked away, finding the words difficult to say. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm betraying her memory by being with you. She gave her life for me, and here I am with her mate."

"Don't think that!" Optimus said with a ferocity that surprised her. "She cared for every femme under her command, and if you've managed to bring me some happiness, she'd be very pleased. I'm sure she'd approve of you."

"Do you think so?" Andromeda whispered, her voice filled with hope.

He smiled and rubbed her cheek with his thumb. "I know so." A kiss ended the discussion.

Optimus Prime found, to his surprise, that his feelings for Andromeda were slowly but surely changing. He loved her as passionately as ever, but now there was a new facet to it. He found himself staring at her at the most inopportune moments. He admired her round aft and her long, long legs that seemed to go on forever. He even caught himself several times wondering if the lovely silver accents that complemented her paint job ran underneath her armor plating. He berated himself fiercely for such thoughts. Naughty, naughty thoughts that should never see the light of day! She was worth so much more than that. He should go to the inferno just for thinking about it.

His newfound preoccupation took up a good chunk of his time and concentration. He found his attention wandering at crucial moments, during briefings and staff meetings, and he was sure that the senior staff had noticed. Kup certainly had, and had made his displeasure very clear. Magnus and Rodimus merely seemed concerned.

Prime found his mind wandering once again and forced himself to pay attention. Rodimus was in his office, discussing the division of duty for the next month. "...and we're also working on a trade agreement with the Betazoids. Nothing major, probably a cakewalk. Wanna take this one?"

"I don't think so, Roddy. You can have it."

Rodimus was puzzled by his reaction. There was a note of... distaste?... in the elder Prime's voice. "Is there something wrong?" He thought of what he knew about the Betazoids. They were a very prosperous people, and they bore no outward distinction from human beings. The two species could be mixed together in a room and, without a medical tricorder, nobody could tell the difference. In fact, it was more than likely that the two species could produce a hybrid offspring. Optimus seemed to have no problem with humans. There was one major difference between Betazoids and humans, though. "Optimus, do you have something against telepaths?"

Roddy watched his friend shudder. The answer was quite apparent. "I have nothing personal against them, Rodimus. I just don't feel comfortable around them. My thoughts are very private, and I don't want anyone intruding on them. Inside my head is the one place where I can have true privacy." He hated to admit it, but even the binary bonding process unnerved him. He couldn't imagine being attached to another being to such a degree, especially one as small and fragile as a Nebulan or human. Perceptor had discovered that the binary bonding stopped physical aging in the Nebulans and humans, but they were still much more vulnerable than their robotic counterparts. If Optimus had had a say in the matter, such a process would have never taken place. It just wasn't natural. He never, ever wanted to be bonded to another creature in such a matter. It would mean that the little privacy he did have would pretty much disappear, and he would have to worry about the fleshling's life constantly. The Matrix link with Rodimus bothered him enough as it was. It didn't interfere with their lives much, and it only activated when one of them experienced a strong sensation or emotion, but Optimus still despised having anyone sense his emotions, as much as he cared for Roddy. Above all, he did not want to be a Headmaster. It would mean sharing not only his structure but every private thought he had. Also, he would never be independent, remaining stuck in alternate mode when his head component was not around. The very idea creeped him out.

"Ahh. I see." Rodimus did not comment further on the subject, willing to leave it at face value. Optimus was relieved. "I'll take care of the negotiations if you hold down the fort while I'm gone."

"No problem." Optimus was very glad to not be going to Betazed, though he had heard it was quite beautiful, and the inhabitants were very friendly.

Roddy cracked a grin. "You know, I heard a joke about the Betazoids. Goes like this: Two Betazoids walk into a bar. One says, 'I'll have the same."

Optimus looked blank for a second, then it came to him. "I get it. Not very creative, though."

Roddy shrugged. "Hey, it's just a joke."

The red and blue Autobot looked at his friend, jokes being the furthest thing from his mind. "Roddy, are you expecting company tonight?"

"Nope. All alone tonight, more's the pity. Couldn't get a date."

Optimus forced back a snicker. Rodimus dateless? Must be the end of the world. "Well, could I come over then? You know, just to visit."

"Sure. Just drop by whenever you feel like it." Roddy kept his tone casual, but he knew something was up. They did meet occasionally just to 'hang', but Optimus sensed that there was more to it this time. Perhaps he wanted to talk about whatever had driven him to distraction.

Sometime after 2000 hours, the chime to Roddy's quarters rang. "Come on in!" he sang, pressing a button that automatically unlocked and opened the door. Optimus stepped into the room. "Have a seat, Op!" Roddy gestured to the Transformers' version of a sofa. It was made primarily of sturdy metal alloys, but the top was a silicone cushion that could comfortably absorb a great deal of weight. The elder Prime seated himself and waited for his rambunctious friend to join him.

"Feel like a drink?" Rodimus reached into a cabinet and pulled out a decanter of reddish-pink liquid. High-grade Energon. Very potent and intoxicating.

"Sure, why not. I finally finished my on-call week and could use some relaxation." The two Primes took turns being on-call in case of emergency, so that both of them were not needlessly disturbed. The arrangement was working out well and gave both of them more time to relax and pursue leisure activities. Having one Prime ready for an emergency left the other one free to relax.

Roddy grabbed two large blocky glasses and deposited them unceremoniously on the table, then filled them to nearly brimming with the bright liquid. He hadn't offered his friend a drink just for the slag of it – Optimus often had trouble expressing what was on his mind, and a little high-grade went a long way to loosening his vocal module.

The two sat back, making idle conversation. Roddy knew better than to pry – Optimus would get to whatever was bothering him eventually. The chatter was more of a warm-up than anything. Rodimus was very glad to be there for his friend. He knew that Optimus did not bare his soul easily.

"I'm surprised you still want to drink with me, considering what happened last time," Roddy commented, taking a swig of his alcoholic beverage.

"What?" Optimus looked confused. "I don't remember anything. What happened?"

The younger Prime looked distinctively uneasy. "Uh, maybe I shouldn't have said anything."

"Too late. Spill it!" Optimus growled.

Roddy cringed. "Okay, okay. Well, the last time I let you drink this stuff, you downed three glasses of it. I didn't think anything of it – I drink that much and scarcely get buzzed – but it seemed to go right to your head. It was weird. You started singing to yourself, and it was a really perverted song. Glad you taught it to me." Optimus gave him a withering glare. "Anyway, you started complaining about how your armor was really constrictive and you were tired of wearing it, so you ripped it off and threw it on the floor and paraded around my quarters naked." Optimus gaped at his friend. Why did this crap seem to happen to him when Roddy was around? That 'bot was nothing but trouble! He attracted it like a magnet.

"Anyway, you weren't causing any trouble, so I just let you wander around. You really seemed to get a kick out of being naked. But then you decided to share your newfound liberation with the rest of the Autobot army." Optimus choked on his sip of Energon, and Roddy thwacked him on the back. "I helpfully suggested that you start with the femmes' rec room."

"Roddy! I swear I'm going to kill you!" Optimus thundered. Rodimus knew full well that males were never, ever allowed in the femmes' rec room. It was the one place they had staked out for their own, to preserve their own special identity. Any mech that dared enter suffered a very painful fate.

Rodimus fell into a shameless fit of laughter. "You thought it was a wonderful idea and were almost to the door by the time I could catch you. I didn't know how to discourage you, so I finally told you they didn't want you there. You thought it was because you were ugly and started crying like a baby. It was really pathetic."

The red and blue Autobot's hand clenched convulsively around his glass. Roddy's days were definitely numbered.

Rodimus wisely decided not to mention that he had been sorely tempted to tape the spectacle for posterity. "The only way I could cheer you up was to suggest you go take your naked aft to see Magnus on Earth."

Optimus huffed. "You sure know how to make the best of a bad situation, Roddy." He was busy thinking of the best way to cause Roddy pain. Lots of pain.

Rodimus grinned, taking it as a compliment. "Again, you thought it was a great idea and wanted to go see him right away. But before you could get out the door, you suddenly ran into the waste disposal area and puked all over the place."

"Shoulda done it on your recharge berth," Optimus grumbled.

"You were so sick I was afraid to leave you alone, so I heaved your fat aft on the recharge berth and slept beside you. In the morning, you were so disoriented I was tempted to pretend something had happened between us, and ask if it was as good for you as it was for me, but I thought it would be going too far."

"Way too far." Roddy had to die. The sooner the better. "I don't know why I drink with you, Roddy. It's just asking for trouble."

"I'm just irresistible," the young Prime said jokingly.

"I'm gonna kick your irresistible self where the solar winds don't blow!"

Roddy's grin stretched around his head. He loved trading insults with Optimus; it showed he had a sense of humor. "So what's up in your life? Everything going okay with your lady?"

"Yeah." The elder Prime sighed and took a long drought of the high-grade Energon, feeling it burn slightly as it slid down his throat. He hadn't even finished half of the glass, but he already had a good buzz. Roddy was right. He really couldn't handle this stuff. "That's what I came to talk to you about."

The flame-colored Autobot was intrigued but knew he should proceed with caution. Optimus Prime guarded his privacy very jealously, and if Roddy pressed too hard he would just clam up. "That so? Problems?"

"Not exactly." Optimus was unsure how to proceed, so he took a moment to sip at his intoxicating beverage. It was a poor replacement for courage, but he was brave enough to face down an entire Decepticon platoon, and it wouldn't help him in this situation. "Things between us are... changing, and I'm not sure how to deal with it. Nothing bad, or even unpleasant. Just different."

Rodimus tried to get the gist of the statement and failed. Optimus could be very enigmatic at times. "Sorry, Op, I don't quite get your meaning."

Optimus rubbed his face. "I've been feeling different about her lately. Things between us are, well..." there was a long pause, "... progressing." He shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm having thoughts about her that I shouldn't. Thoughts that are inappropriate. She's been wonderful to me, and I shouldn't be thinking about her in that way."

Ahhh, now this was starting to make more sense. "Well, that certainly explains a lot. You've been so preoccupied of late that I was beginning to think that something was wrong." He tried not to smile at the idea of Optimus having lustful thoughts. "If it's advice you're looking for, you've come to the right place. Welcome to Roddy's palace of love."

Optimus threw him a look of disgust. Sometimes he thought that Roddy needed a leash. "Roddy, I don't know how to deal with this. I keep wondering if it's right. After all, she's not much older than you. How can I... feel this way... about someone that's almost the same age as my son? For the love of Primus, I'm almost twice her age!"

"You didn't have a problem with this before," Rodimus said reasonably. Age usually wasn't a big deal to beings with such longevity as the Transformers. "Look at it this way: you were non-functional for four million years. That should even the score a bit."

"Technicality, Roddy. But I do see your point. I guess the age gap really isn't at the root of the problem."

"So what is? Look, Optimus, I don't want to pry – I can understand your desire to keep this private – but I need to know more about this if I'm going to help you." Rodimus set aside his glass, devoting his whole attention to his friend.

Optimus chewed on his lip component in embarrassment. He knew that Roddy would keep any secret that he told him – he wouldn't have lasted long as a Prime if he didn't know how to keep his mouth shout – but that didn't make this any easier. "Well, over the past few months, the relationship has, erm, well, become physical. I'm torn, Roddy. Part of me thinks I shouldn't be doing this, but the other part... doesn't want to stop. It gets so I can't even think straight." He looked down, fingering his glass. "I'm just not sure what I should do next. I haven't done this so long. And it's not like I've got the experience you do, Roddy." His voice grew so soft it was nearly inaudible. "Besides that one, uh, incident with Phantasma, Alita has been my one and only."

Rodimus tried to not gape too much. He should have known, or at least suspected! The incident in question with Phantasma was, as it turned out, the way Roddy was created. Optimus had said it was the only time he had strayed, and Rodimus had a very strong suspicion that the Matrix had arranged that little episode so that the Chosen One could be created. But still, it hadn't sunk in that Optimus had had only one real lover. "No wonder you're having so much trouble," he breathed. "About Alita, was she... your first?"

Optimus looked away, and Roddy was afraid he'd pushed too far. "Yes, she was," the whispered reply finally came. "Seems like it was just yesterday. It's not something I'll ever forget. Not something most people forget." He gave Rodimus a sidelong glance, and it was Roddy's turn to be uncomfortable. That one glance showed that Optimus understood everything, although Roddy had never breathed a word to him. Arcee had been his first, and he had been well on his way to falling in love with her when fate had intervened. He had become Rodimus Prime, and she had decided that Springer was better suited for her. Ever since then, he'd been unwilling to settle down, looking more for Miss Right Now than Miss Right. But sometimes he still thought of Arcee and wondered what could have been.

Optimus rubbed his face, trying to sort out his thoughts. "I just can't get Andromeda out of my mind, Roddy! She's all I think about when I'm awake, and I dream about her when I'm recharging. And the dreams are... not something I'd ever like her to find out about. Every date ends the same now, with both of us on the sofa in her quarters or mine, doing things that I feel embarrassed even thinking about, but I... still can't go through with it. Something always stops me, and it's getting to the point where I can't take it anymore. My mind and my body are telling me two different things. I'm so frustrated I could explode!" He ran his hands over the sides of his head, wishing he could relieve the pent-up tension.

Rodimus stroked his chin with his hand thoughtfully. He could make a pretty fair bet how Optimus was relieving that tension, but he'd never call him on it. The poor guy was embarrassed enough already, and there was no need to make it worse. "How – how far has all of this gone?"

He was sure that Optimus was not going to respond to such an intrusive question, but his friend surprised him once again. "Too far." A pause. "Not far enough." He sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that night. "You really want specifics, huh? All right. I'll tell you." And he did...

/ / / / /

"My heart, it's beating 'Don't say no'  
My head keeps saying 'Take it slow'"

- "Impulsive" –Wilson Phillips

They had been in his quarters this time, but the scene was pretty much the same. They were in a clinch, holding each other very close. Optimus felt his fuel pump pounding, his lifeblood roaring in his head. His thoughts were a jumble; he couldn't think, didn't *want* to think. All he could focus on was his hands on her, and her hands on him, and how right all of this felt. He didn't ever want it to stop... but as her hand trailed down his abdomen, he knew it wasn't right. Not yet. "W-wait," he stammered, catching her hand in his own. "Please... not just yet. I want to save that... for later." He cursed himelf for being so inept. He squeezed her hand in his own and kissed it. He tried very hard not to look at her exposed chest – his doing, he knew, though he scarcely remembered it. She looked so confused as he searched desperately for the words to explain himself. "It's not that I don't want to... I just want to wait a bit more." He looked at her earnestly. "I want things between us to be perfect. Special."

Her uncertainty slowly changed to a shy smile. "No man has ever said no to me before." Her surprise was evident in the tone of her voice. "It's sweet that you want to wait. I want it to be special too." Her smile turned a bit teasing. "Just don't make me wait too long."

Optimus echoed her smile. "You're not an easy femme to say no to." He kissed her gently, trying not to get sucked back in. "It won't be long, I promise."

/ / / / /

"You mean she was willing, and you turned her down?"

Optimus winced at Roddy's shout. "You make it sound like it's some sort of crime. Honestly, I just want to make sure that everything is right between us."

"You know what, Op?" Roddy shook his head. "You're a tease. That's all you are. To her, and yourself. You want to know why you're so frustrated? It's your own fault, you know. It's your own damned moral code that won't let you touch her, and you'd better find a way around it, or the relationship will fail. Mark my words." His tone softened. "I'm not trying to be mean here, Optimus. I just want you to listen to reason. This... impasse that you've reached, it's not healthy. Neither of you are happy with it. You can't go forward, and you can't go back. If your relationship doesn't evolve, it will die. She won't wait for you forever, you know. She'll be patient with you, probably more than you deserve, but in the end she won't be able to stand it anymore." Roddy took his frustrated friend by the shoulders. "I know you want to be a gentleman, but there's no gentlemanly way to go about this. It's all or nothing, and if you don't see this to the end, you'll have nothing at all. And I don't want to see that happen to you."

Optimus Prime was silent for a long, long time. Rodimus was afraid that he had really angered him this time. "I see," he finally sighed. "I don't necessarily agree, Roddy, but I'll concede that you have more experience in these matters than I. I promise that I'll think about what you've said." He stood and turned to go. "Good night, Rodimus."

"Good luck," Roddy whispered as the doors slid shut.


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine

Author's warning: This chapter contains adult themes. There is no explicit description, just some vague wording. If you feel you can't handle that, skip this chapter.

Optimus Prime paused outside the door, his hand poised over the chime. He felt a sudden, inexplicable desire to just run away, to give in to the case of nerves that had seized him. 'Coward!' he mentally berated himself. 'There's nothing to be afraid of!' Gathering his courage, he pressed the door chime. A moment later, the door slid open and the smile of an angel greeted him, melting away some of the anxiety.

"Optimus!" Andromeda gasped. "I wasn't expecting you."

"I know," he smiled with his optics. "I wanted this to be a surprise."

"A surprise?" she echoed, realizing he was carrying a sack of sorts. "Well, come in then. The place is a bit of a mess. I haven't had the time to straighten it up – the tube transport system is just days away from completion, and it's taken up every second I have."

"You know I don't care about a few things lying about." He entered her quarters, noting a few things out of place, but nothing major. Rodimus, on the other hand, tried to keep his quarters neat, but when he was preoccupied with some new project or emergency, he could be a real slob. Sometimes Optimus wondered if living creatures hid in the piles of discarded Energon cube shells.

"What's in the bag?" she asked curiously.

Instead of replying, he reached in and pulled out two translucent Energon tapers and ignited them. The soft glow of candlelight filled the living room, and Andromeda turned off the lights, enjoying the romantic atmosphere. Optimus also pulled out a small music disc and inserted it in her sound system. Soft strains of music filled the air.

"Sit down," he instructed, seating himself and patting the cushion next to him. She did so curiously. What was this all about?

Optimus took off his battle mask so that she could see his gentle smile. "On Earth there is a certain occasion known as Valentine's Day. It has a bloody history but eventually became known as a celebration of love and romance. Sometimes the humans go a little overboard with it, but it is still a very nice holiday, and I wanted to celebrate it with you. I thought about mentioning it last year, but I was afraid you'd think it was silly. This year I decided to take a chance."

The femme smiled tenderly at him, caressing his cheek. "I don't think it's silly. I think it's sweet. I'm not quite sure I understand it, but I'd love to celebrate this Valentine's Day thing with you."

"I got something for you." Optimus actually looked bashful as he reached into the bag once more and held out a box. In curiosity, she opened it and pulled out a gorgeous miniature statue of a horse, hewn out of a clear, faceted crystalline substance. Jewels formed the eyes, and the mane and tail were a milky white. "It's made out of diamonds, a precious Earth gemstone," he explained. "You were so fascinated by the horses we saw on Earth, and when I saw this I knew you would like it."

"I love it!" she gasped, admiring how it refracted the candlelight into tiny rainbows. She realized that it must have been very expensive. "You really shouldn't have, Optimus! It must have cost you a fortune!"

"What am I going to use the credits for? I don't have many expenses. I've saved up quite a bit over millions of years, and I don't know what to do with it. It's a pleasure to buy things for you. It makes me happy."

"But I don't have anything for you!" she wailed, feeling guilty.

Optimus laughed. "This was a surprise, silly! I didn't want you to buy me anything. Besides," his voice grew soft, "I have the best gift right here." He caressed her cheek. She melted at his loving words.

"Would you like to dance?" he asked, standing and holding out his hand. She took it gladly and let him lead her to a clear spot in the room. He had improved a bit since their last dance, but not much, so they just swayed back and forth. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he held her close, stroking her head affectionately. As the song ended, he took her head in both of his hands and kissed her deeply.

"Optimus," she said teasingly, stroking his cheek, "are you trying to seduce me?"

"Yeah," he said a bit bashfully, smiling shyly. "But only if you want me to."

"Convince me," she murmured, wrapping her arms around his waist and giving him an open-mouthed kiss. His nervousness was replaced by a heady desire that filled him. He wanted her so badly he could taste it. Here was his perfect moment, and he knew he could no longer refuse her.

Rodimus was working late in his office, trying to kill the eternal mass of paperwork that threatened to smother him. He read through dozens of reports, marking anything that would need Optimus' personal attention. He didn't mind the battle plans, the strategy meetings, or the occasional emergency. He did mind the endless masses of paperwork. He actually had nightmares of being eaten alive by it.

He felt a strange tingle go through him and paused. Weird... could his sensory circuitry be malfunctioning? After a few moments, he dismissed the sensation and continued working. There it was again! What could it mean? Suddenly he realized it wasn't him at all. Optimus was projecting something through the Matrix link!

Roddy jumped up, worry flooding through him. Something was wrong with Optimus! Why else would the Matrix link activate. He reached for his internal communicator, but stopped just short of activating it. The sensations weren't of pain or mental anguish that he had felt from Optimus before. No, this was something different. Not painful, or even unpleasant, really. Just... different.

Rodimus leaned back in his chair, putting his feet up on the desk, taking another data pad and reading through it. He tried to shut out the strange tingles, but instead of going away, they only increased in intensity. Soon they were accompanied by a warmth that spread from his abdomen throughout his entire body. All right, something weird was definitely going on!

While he pondered what was happening to him, he realized that he was sweating beads of coolant. His air intakes began to work to cool his systems, as if they were overheating. He checked his internal temperature gauge, and while it was a bit high, it was well within his normal comfort zone. What situation could Optimus have possibly gotten in that would make both of them feel like this?

Emotions rushed through him that were most definitely not his. He felt quite nervous, but overriding that emotion was a much more powerful one of excitement and... arousal? Roddy's optics grew wide. Could it be? Could it possibly be? A slow, sly smile split his faceplate. Go, Optimus! It was sure as hell about time!

He was totally unprepared for the sudden massive wave of emotion that smashed into him like a runaway train. He fell backward in his chair, banging his head and back on the floor, but he barely noticed as his body was wracked with overwhelming sensations. He gasped as his body twitched, trying to process the massive load of input. He was suffocated by the explosive release. Heat and desire thundered through his body, mingled with a sense of incredible love.

"Whoa," Rodimus breathed, still flat on his back, his body trembling with the after-effects. That was unbelievable!

Andromeda awoke the next morning to find an angel in her bed. An angel painted red and blue. Optimus lay sleeping on his back, a slight smile tugging at his lips. He seemed to be having a very pleasant dream. She was struck by how young and defenseless he looked while he was sleeping. He looked almost as young as Rodimus!

As if feeling her gaze on him, Optimus stirred and activated his optics. "Good morning," the femme whispered, kissing him.

"It is indeed," he replied, cupping her face. He laughed. "Roddy was right, I did need to get laid. Primus, I really needed that!"

Her gaze roved over his nude body appreciatively, and while he felt embarrassed, he did not move to cover himself. He busied himself with a little admiring of his own. "Last night was incredible." He hoped fervently that it has been for her too.

"*You* were incredible!" she laughed, leaving no doubt in his mind. Her broad smile faded abruptly as her gaze fell on the bedside chronometer. "Oh no, I'm an hour late for my shift!"

Optimus gasped when he saw the time. "And I'm three hours late!"

The next few minutes were filled with confusion as both scrambled to find their discarded armor plating. They both dashed to the door, but Optimus stopped her right at the entrance. "I need to see you again, tonight. My quarters this time?"

"Sounds good to me." They stole a kiss, then each ran off to start their shifts.

Optimus hastened through the halls, cursing the late hour. He burst into his office and threw himself in his office chair, fingers flying over the keyboard, trying to make up for lost time.

"There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you'd make it in sometime today."

He jumped and looked up, seeing Rodimus leaning against the wall. "Uh, I overcharged," he muttered. Something occurred to him. "Why didn't you radio me?"

A Cheshire-cat grin spread across his second's face. "I had a feeling you were occupied last night and needed the rest. So," he asked casually, "how was last night?"

"Just fine," the elder Prime replied, picking up a data pad, deliberately avoiding Roddy's optics.

"Fine?" Roddy laughed. "I'd say that would have to be the understatement of the century! Come on, Optimus, you don't have to hide it from me! I bet if I asked Andromeda she'd come up with a lot better than just 'fine'!" He watched in delighted amusement as his friend's optics grew wide with shock and astonishment.

"But... I don't understand... Roddy, how could you *know*?"

Rodimus smiled knowingly and tapped his chest.

"Oh." The word was flat. Prime was silent for a full minute, wondering what to say.

Rodimus spoke first. "Optimus, why didn't you tell me? I had no idea that the Matrix transmitted those kinds of sensations."

Optimus looked away. "Roddy, what could I say? Nothing could change it. You'd only feel guilty when you were with a femme, and I didn't want that. You deserve to enjoy yourself. I've learned how to deal with it, so don't worry."

Roddy felt guilty all the same. Poor Optimus! He'd had no idea. It had to have been very difficult for his friend to experience that sort of thing as a side effect of Roddy's actions. It was like glutting himself on Energon cubes in front of a starving 'bot.

The giant grin once again returned to Roddy's face when he recalled the events of the previous night. "Damn, Optimus, *three* times? Even I don't have that kind of stamina!"

Optimus actually cracked a small smile. "Try being celibate for a hundred years. You'd be surprised at what happens."

"No thanks!" Roddy laughed. "I'd rather ingest glass."

Optimus fell silent again, wondering how this would affect both his relationship with Rodimus and his relationship with Andromeda. This would take a lot of getting used to. He knew that Roddy certainly couldn't help it, but it upset him that he would always intrude on such moments.

"Well, are you going to tell me about what happened, or do I have to torture it out of you?" the flame-colored Autobot laughed.

"Torture. Lots of torture."

"Aw, come on, Op! I'd tell you all about my experiences if I thought you'd be interested."

Optimus made a rude face, and though it was hidden, Roddy could see it just the same. "I don't want to know what you do, Roddy. You're a sick pervert."

"Yup! Come on, I really want to know. Look, you don't have to get into specifics, okay? Just the general stuff."

Optimus shook his head with a smile. Roddy just didn't know when to quit! "Okay, okay. Just keep it to yourself, all right?"

Rodimus leaned forward, fascinated. This was going to be good!


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

"What? My gods, are you crazy? No! Absolutely not!"

Kup winced at the tirade. "Would you calm down, Rodimus? I'm not asking you to cut off a limb here! It's just that you and Optimus are frequently exposed to dangerous situations, and we can't afford to lose either of you. I think that a bodyguard would be the best solution."

"Kup," Optimus explained patiently, "we've been through this before. We've both gone through extensive training, and we have had a lot of battlefield experience. Who better to guard us then ourselves?"

The Chief Security Officer shook his head. Why were the Primes so damn stubborn? "I'm afraid I have to disagree, Optimus. You two have been in many situations that resulted in severe damage or incapacitation. A bodyguard would have been invaluable in these situations. I have a list here of those instances; would you like to see it?" Neither Prime seemed to want anything to do with the data pad he held out.

Optimus frowned behind his mask, crossing his arms, a sure sign that he was dissatisfied. "Okay, Kup, I conceded that you have a point. But Rodimus and I are involved in a lot of top-secret projects. I don't doubt the integrity of your security troops, but the very concept of "top secret" is that as few people are involved as possible. I don't like adding in unknown variables."

Kup bristled. "I'll have you know, Optimus Prime, that my security forces are fully trained to be discreet as well as efficient. Your concerns on this matter are totally unfounded." He could see, as always, that this discussion was going nowhere. He knew the real reason: neither one wanted his privacy to be invaded. "All right, how about this. Why don't we do this on a trial basis, say a month? At least give it that long."

Rodimus was about to protest, but Optimus held up his hand. "One month, Kup. That's all."

Kup breathed a sigh of relief. He'd actually won! "Great. Wonderful. I'll be in touch with you both with the details very shortly." He rose and saluted.

The Primes looked at each other in dismay. What had they gotten themselves into?

Several later, Optimus Prime was called to Kup's office to discuss this new unpleasant development. After the perfunctory salute, Kup gestured for him to take a seat. Optimus did so, still managing to radiate disapproval, though it was much diminished. Optimus knew better than to beat a dead horse.

"After much deliberation, I have finally selected the most appropriate candidate to be your bodyguard. She is very sharp and has proved herself to be a formidable foe in battle. I'm sure that you will be quite satisfied with her." Kup handed Prime the personnel file.

Optimus Prime's jaw dropped underneath his mask when he caught the name at the head of the file. Primus! Was this some kind of joke? He gave the file a cursory glance, barely registering the information. "Kup, I'm afraid I have to protest."

"I know you have misgivings about this, but please give it a chance—"

"That's not the problem," Optimus interrupted. "I'm objecting to your choice of bodyguard."

Kup stared at his longtime friend. "What's wrong with Andromeda? Her position as project head for the tube transport system is nearly complete, and she is ready to be reassigned. Do you think that she is not skilled to do the job?"

"No! Certainly not. She is very skilled."

"Then you object to having a female bodyguard? Do you think they are too frail?"

Optimus rubbed his head. This was not going well at all. "Of course not, Kup. I know quite well that the femmes are a formidable force. I'm sure that Andromeda's skills permit her to use her smaller and less durable frame to her advantage."

"Then what's the problem?"

'I can't believe this is happening!' Optimus sighed inwardly. How could he prove his point to Kup without compromising his mate? "Listen, Kup... Andromeda and I are friends. Close friends. I think that this position will create a conflict of interest for us. You know that I don't believe in mixing my public and private lives."

Kup steepled his hands together. "I just don't understand your point, Prime. Ironhide was a longtime friend of yours, and you never protested when he was appointed your bodyguard."

Optimus sighed in irritation. "Ironhide did not interfere with my life. He was there when I needed him in battle, and nothing more."

"Times are changing, Optimus, and your duties are as well. You are called upon to travel often and meet with many alien species. There could be a threat lurking anywhere. A bodyguard will anticipate and prepare for such threats. You have yet to prove to me that Lieutenant Andromeda cannot perform such duties."

Prime scowled inwardly, knowing that he could not make Kup understand without putting the relationship at risk. They had managed to keep it a secret for nearly three years now, and that was the way it should stay. "Fine, Kup. I will accept her as my bodyguard. Just remember that I protested her assignment."

"I'll send her to your office immediately so that you can get acquainted. Take heart, Optimus. One month is not so long."

Prime discovered when he had returned to his office that Rodimus' bodyguard was already in position. Instead of entering his office, he walked over to the mech curiously. The robot saluted him snappily. "Sir! Optimus Prime, sir!"

"What is your name and rank, soldier?"

"Sergeant Protector, sir! My assignment is to protect Rodimus Prime at all costs, sir!"

Optimus allowed himself a private smirk. This Protector seemed to want to do everything by the book. He stood at attention until it seemed that he would turn to stone. Rodimus would hate him on sight.

"Carry on, Sergeant."

No sooner had he entered his office than the chime sounded. He opened the door and there stood a very familiar femme. "Ah, Lieutenant Andromeda. I've been expecting you. Please, come in."

Optimus dropped the pretense as soon as the doors were closed. "I'm sorry, Ani," he sighed, using his pet name for her. "I tried to explain things to Kup without giving too much away, but he wouldn't listen to reason."

She sat down heavily in a chair, and he took the one next to her, not wanting to impose his rank on her by sitting behind the desk. "What happens now?" she asked.

He patted her arm encouragingly. "It's only for a month. That's not so long. Besides, we'll have a lot more time together. We'll just have to be extra careful to not be found out."

Andromeda just looked at him, worry written over her features. She hoped he was right.

Optimus smiled at his beloved held tightly in his arms as they lay on the recharge berth in his quarters. "Is this in your job description?" he teased.

Andromeda laughed, slapping his broad chest. "I'm your bodyguard. The best way to guard your body is to be on top of it."

"I'm sure Kup would approve," Prime laughed.

Andromeda's communicator crackled to life. "Kup to Lieutenant Andromeda."

The femme sat up, optics wide. Speak of the devil... "Andromeda here, sir."

"What is your location, Lieutenant?"

"Optimus Prime's quarters."

There was a foreboding silence. "I'm outside right now. You are nowhere in sight."

At those words, the couple sprang apart and hastened to replace their coverings. "Uhh... Optimus Prime invited me in for a bit of Energon, sir..." she stammered. A quick check revealed that their armor was crooked! After some quick rearranging, Optimus shooed the femme onto the sofa while he headed for the door.

The door opened to reveal a very irritated Security Chief. "Hello, Kup," Optimus greeted him cordially. "Won't you come in?"

Kup stepped inside suspiciously. There sat Andromeda, looking at him expectantly. "Prime was just about to get me a cube of Energon."

The grizzled warrior turned his sharp gaze to the Autobot leader. "What's this all about, Prime?"

Optimus mentally quailed under the look but replied evenly, "I thought that she could use a break. Standing up for such a long time must be tiring. You're welcome to join us, if you like," though nothing could be further from the truth.

Kup scowled. "The lieutenant has been trained to endure much worse in your service. Do not worry about her welfare."

"Kup, she's my friend. I don't want her to be uncomfortable. She is still guarding me. Is there something wrong with that?"

"I suppose not," the old warrior said grudgingly. "Just don't make a habit of it."

The lovers exchanged a glance as the security chief departed. That was close!

A week into the bodyguard trial, Optimus met Rodimus in his quarters to discuss matters. "How's the bodyguard working out?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"Terrible," his young friend spat. "I can't stand the sight of him. Always so damn serious about his duty. I wish he'd crack a smile once in a while. I've come up with an entertaining new game called 'Lose the Bodyguard'. I find it very amusing."

"I'll bet you do!" Optimus had seen Protector on his way in, standing ever at alert, yet there was a tortured look in his optics. Roddy was going to drive him mad before this was over.

"And how are things with your bodyguard? As if I had to guess!" Roddy laughed. Close to a year had passed since the fateful Valentine's Day, but Roddy knew that his friend had not let his recharge berth get cold. Luckily for both of them, Rodimus had managed to get some information on mental shielding from the Betazoids, and it had proved invaluable.

"They're not as good as you think," Optimus grumbled. "We've got a lot more time together, but we have to keep things on a professional level when we're not alone, and it can be a strain. I'm constantly afraid that we'll get caught. I can't wait until this month is over, so things can get back to normal."

"I hear you." Rodimus was seriously contemplating shoving his omnipresent bodyguard in the nearest trash compactor. And Kup was next on the list. He was never letting that old coot talk him into this again!

"It took forever to arrive, but here it is. Today is the last day I'm your bodyguard!" Andromeda crowed. She was so relieved. She loved being around Optimus, but they couldn't connect on a personal level while she was guarding him. He was preoccupied when he was in his office, and they both feared discovery, which had put a strain on their relationship.

"Amen to that." Optimus rubbed her shoulder. "I think that I will recommend to Kup not to repeat this exercise in futility." Rodimus' bodyguard had to be replaced after the second week due to a systems crash. Rodimus had succeeded in driving the poor 'bot to collapse. The young Prime was only marginally happier with the replacement. He had jokingly asked Kup to get him a female bodyguard, but Kup knew better than to let Rodimus near a femme for such a long period of time. The grizzled Autobot knew that if Rodimus were to make a pass at any of his soldiers, they would put him in stasis.

Prime looked around at the empty conference room. There was not another meeting scheduled for twenty minutes. Not very much time, but he wanted to grab a few moments alone with his lady. "Let's celebrate. Just with a few kisses," he whispered, drawing her close. She giggled softly and removed his battle mask.

Kup frowned at the red light above the conference room door. Could the scheduled meeting have run late? He didn't think so – he knew who was supposed to be attending the meeting, and he had passed them on the way here. Some dim bulb of an Autobot must've forgotten to turn off the privacy light after everyone had gone.

He opened the door and stood transfixed in shock. Before his very wide optics sat Optimus Prime, holding his bodyguard in a rather passionate embrace. He had the femme sitting on his lap as he gave her a very heated, open-mouthed kiss. "Stop that! Stop that right now!" he yelled.

Optimus Prime pulled away and hastily replaced his battle mask. Andromeda jumped off of his lap and clumsily saluted. Optimus rose slowly to his feet as well. "Kup, please stay calm—" he began.

Kup was absolutely furious. "I will not stay calm!" he roared. "I trust you to work together professionally, and look what happens! You can't keep your hands off each other! How dare you! A slip of concentration like this, and the Decepticons will pick you off in no time! Hell, I may just do the job for them!"

The dark blue femme cringed and tried to say something. "Silence!" Kup thundered. "Young lady, you have absolutely failed me! I'll bust you down to private so fast your head will spin!" She covered her face and held back tears with force of will.

"And you!" he hissed, turning his attention to the Autobot commander. "You ought to know better! You lead this entire damn army, and yet you can't manage to keep your hands to yourself for one month? What is the name of Primus is wrong with you?" He was so furious that he was sure that smoke was ready to pour out of his audials. "You have no right to treat one of my officers that way! I'll make sure that you won't get away with what you've done. I'll see you court-martialed for this!"

Optimus Prime stiffened at the inflammatory words. "On what grounds?" he growled.

The Security Chief held his head high. "Conduct unbecoming an officer, and abuse of rank. Believe me, I have more than enough evidence to convict you." He spared the quaking femme a glance. "Lass, you'd better wait outside. This is not for you to hear."

She hesitated, looking to Optimus for confirmation. "Go, Andromeda. This is going to get ugly." Andromeda practically fled, unwilling to abandon her mate but wanting to be anywhere but there.

Once she had departed, Optimus Prime leaned over the conference room table, fixing his old friend with an icy glare. "Kup, if you dare accuse me of such things, then you are a hypocrite. I know all about your track record. You have a penchant for young femmes, don't you?" Kup looked surprised, and some of his anger faded. "If you bring me down, I swear I will take you down with me."

The old Autobot straightened up, strengthening his resolve. "You can't prove a thing. I've caught you red-handed, Prime, and there's no way out of this. Trust me, your days as Autobot leader are numbered."

Optimus Prime's optics flashed dangerously. His tone was low but filled with icy fury. "Don't screw with me, Kup. I'll screw you twice as fast. You may be a powerful Autobot, but I've got you beat in that department. I can make life very difficult for you."

Kup wondered if he could possibly be dreaming. Could this really be his old friend, whom he had trained from the very onset of the war? The Optimus Prime that he had known would never make such threats. Somehow he had changed, and Kup didn't like it one bit. "That remains to be seen. Prepare yourself, Optimus Prime. You may not have such influence much longer." With that he turned on his heel and left.

Hesitantly, Andromeda entered the conference room. Optimus sat in a chair, his head in his hands. "That was thoroughly unpleasant," he growled. He took her hand as she sank down wearily into the seat beside him.

"Is it true?" she whispered. "Could Kup really court-martial you for our relationship?"

"He can," Optimus sighed, "but the burden of proof is on him. He has to prove that I've acted inappropriately."

"And if he can? What's the worst that could come out of this?"

The mech rubbed his head, feeling an ache beginning. "I could lose my position as Autobot leader."

"NO!" Andromeda exclaimed. "All because of me? That can't be true!" A choked sob escaped her. "I had no idea I could cause you so much trouble!"

Optimus took her in his arms, holding her. "Don't you worry about it. I knew the risks when I began this relationship. I have always felt that you were worth the risk."

She still felt terrible beyond words. Optimus Prime had been Autobot leader for over nine million years, and now he would lose his position because of her!

He soothed her the best that he could, rubbing her back gently. "As for the court martial, it may not come to pass. It will be a messy affair, and Kup may think twice about entangling himself in it."

"I won't let you take the fall for this!" she swore. "I know – I'll just say that I seduced you. I'll convince them that you were blameless for this whole thing."

"Don't do that!" Prime said fiercely, surprising her. "Don't compromise yourself to save me. Don't betray the love that we feel for each other. I will face the charges head-on, if need be. I will not lie about what has happened between us, for I feel that it is too precious to deny. If I am to be faulted for falling in love, then so be it."

"Couldn't you plea-bargain?" she asked nervously.

"I could," he conceded, "but I won't. I refuse to admit to any wrong-doing in this matter. I will argue my innocence, and if I am found guilty, at least I will know that I did not lie to save myself."

The two held each other close, wondering why they couldn't just be left alone to be happy.

Kup wasted no time in hunting down Rodimus Prime. He would need three high-ranking officers to stand in judgment at the court-martial, and he knew that he had to get to them before Optimus could influence them. As hoped, Rodimus was in his office, working industriously at his computer.

"Kup!" he greeted as the warrior seated himself. "Take a load off. What's up?"

Kup scowled, showing that the news was far from good. "Rodimus, I have an urgent matter to discuss with you. Optimus Prime has been having relations with the bodyguard that I appointed. I've seen them with my own optics! I think that we should schedule a court-martial right away, before this goes any further."

Roddy's optics darkened. He sat back and folded his arms together. "And just why should we do that?"

"Because!" Kup exploded. "Because it's not right! Because she's one of my soldiers! Because they are expected to remain professionally detached. Because they have no damn right!"

"No right?" Rodimus yelled, losing the small measure of cool that he had been holding on to. "Who are you to determine that? You know nothing about this! Do you think this is just some little fling? That Optimus got tempted and decided to help himself? If so, then you're a lot less intelligent than I gave you credit for."

"Don't you question my intelligence or my judgment, lad! I know what I saw!"

Roddy felt his fists clench. "You see nothing, Kup! You can't see past the end of your nose! Do you know how long Optimus and Andromeda have been together? Nearly three years now! Think about that! Sure beats that piddly one-month assignment you gave her, doesn't it? You think you're so smart, that you know everything that goes on around here? You don't know slag! Everyone knows about them but you!"

Kup sensed that this was a losing proposition. "I never should have expected you to understand, lad. You're just too headstrong."

"Damn you to the inferno, Kup!" Roddy practically roared at him, practically crawling over the desk. "I've worked a hundred years to get Optimus to start dating again, and here you come and ruin whatever chance of happiness he has! Are you really that selfish that you would rather drag his name through the mud just because you feel he did something behind your back? I've lost all respect for you, Kup. If you go through with this, I swear I will never speak to you again."

To his utter astonishment, Kup realized that Rodimus was dead serious. "I expected better from you, Rodimus. You need to learn to be objective, or you will never make it as a Prime." With that he exited the office, already mentally preparing a priority-one message for Ultra Magnus.

Ultra Magnus must've commandeered a shuttle instead of waiting for the hourly transport, for he showed up in Kup's office in no time flat. "What's this all about?" he asked without preamble, throwing his bulk into a chair. The chair groaned in protest.

Kup told the story, keeping a sharp optic on the City Commander. Unlike Rodimus, Magnus did not seem angry. "Is that all?" Magnus asked patiently when Kup was finished.

"Yes." Kup breathed a sigh of relief. Here at last was someone who was listening.

Magnus sat back in the chair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I hate to tell you, Kup, but I don't think you stand a snowball's chance in hell. I won't help you."

"What? Why the hell not?"

Magnus remained as calm as ever. "Because I don't think you have a case, that's why not. Look, I've known about this relationship since the first date. If I thought that there was something improper about it, I would have said something. Optimus loves her, Kup. There's nothing wrong with that. I'm sorry, but you can't court-martial a guy for having feelings."

"But she was his bodyguard! It was wrong of them! They both violated the understanding that the arrangement brought."

Magnus held up a hand. "I see what you're saying, Kup, and I agree that you would have a case if that is where it started and ended. But it doesn't. Optimus and Andromeda were together long before this arrangement was made. And frankly, Kup, that's your fault. You should never have paired them up. I'm sure Optimus tried to tell you somehow, even if he didn't come right out and say it."

The ancient Autobot grumbled, "How was I to know? Dammit, he should have just come out and told me!"

Magnus narrowed his optics. "And what would you have done? You would have condemned him for having chosen someone so young and comparatively lower in rank. You would not have understood his feelings. Either way, Optimus can't win." He stood. "Let's go see Rodimus. We need to work this out before it becomes a major disaster."

Rodimus greeted them with a stony stare. "Hello, Magnus. Glad to see ya," he said as nicely as he could, all the while glaring daggers at Kup.

Once everyone was seated, there was an uncomfortable silence. Magnus shifted uncomfortably, finally deciding to break the oppressive atmosphere. "Kup, what do we have to do to convince you that this is a bad idea?"

Kup shook his head. "I refuse to let such a thing go unpunished!"

"And what would you suggest?" Roddy snapped. "That you go ahead and smear Optimus in a court martial? That you take his private life and examine it with a microscope? That you put him on the stand and force him to discuss every minute he has spent with the woman he loves? That's just wrong, Kup! What do you think such a thing will do to him? It would tear him apart to discuss his private life! Can't you just leave the poor guy alone?"

"No!" Kup exclaimed. "Dammit, he threatened me! Said he knew things about me!"

Rodimus fixed him with a cold smile. "He did, didn't he? Well, gee, Kup, I know things too. What do you say we arrange a little court martial? We can't let this sort of thing go unpunished, right? No? Well, what makes you so different from Optimus? At least he's faithful to Andromeda! You were just looking for a little action!"

"You have no right to judge me, lad!" Kup roared.

"Exactly." Magnus sat forward, trying to argue his point. "You have no right to judge Optimus either. None of us do. Please think about this rationally, Kup. Suppose you could pick out a mate for Optimus. Who would it be? Who could possibly come close to him in rank? You know that Alita's position as femme commander was eliminated after the Unicron war when the femmes were integrated with the main Autobot army. The only choice is ol' Roddy there, and somehow I don't think Prime's tastes run that way."

"Shame," Rodimus pouted, accepting the moment of levity. "He's so cute too!"

Kup looked at Ultra Magnus gravely. "I hadn't considered that."

"Come on now," Rodimus said, trying to keep his temper in check. "You don't expect Optimus to be a hermit, do you? He needs love, probably more than any of us. I think it's a miracle that he's survived this long. Don't deny him the happiness that he deserves."

"Optimus loves Andromeda," Magnus explained patiently. "He would never hurt her or betray her. This isn't some passing fancy, Kup. He's loved her long before you thought up this assignment. You're not really being fair to him – you didn't listen when he protested your selection of bodyguard, and now you want to blame him for your mistake."

"My mistake...?" Kup echoed his words. "So now this is my fault, is it?"

"You should never have put them in that position," Rodimus argued. "Look, Kup, let me ask you a question. How many females do you think Optimus Prime has had a relationship with? Let's count them, shall we?"

Kup looked skyward as if awaiting divine assistance. "Fine, Roddy, I'll play your game. Alita is one."

"That's a given." Roddy nodded. "Anyone else?"

"Andromeda." Kup fairly spat the word.

"Okay, there's two. Anyone else?" Kup wracked his CPU, trying to think of others. Roddy pressed him. "Can't think of anyone else? How about you, Magnus?"

"Your mother, Roddy. Phantasma."

"Good, there's three." Rodimus seemed satisfied. "Anyone else? Come on, guys, you sure we aren't missing anyone? Kup? Magnus?" Both Autobots shrugged. "Good! Because there isn't anyone else. Over nine million years, Optimus has chosen to be with only three females. I don't know about you guys, but I'd say I'm impressed by his fidelity."

"And I'm sure you he told you this," Kup snarled. "How do we know there isn't anyone else?"

"Because he told me!" Rodimus snapped, losing his cool once more. "He told me, dammit! He had no reason to lie to me!"

Magnus' optics flashed in surprise. Optimus had actually told him about such things? He was quite astonished; Optimus wasn't given to sharing personal information. He frowned as something occurred to him. "Kup, there's another matter I want you to think about. Suppose this does result in a court martial. And suppose, just suppose, that Optimus is convicted and loses his rank. What then? Can we really afford to lose him? Just think of what that would do to the morale of our troops! I doubt they'll be in much fighting spirit when word of this gets out. And what of Prime's unique skills? He does so many things as Autobot leader that cannot be easily learned or transferred to others. Rodimus is doing a wonderful job, but this really is a job for two people, and I doubt he could handle Optimus' workload on top of his own."

"Don't you dare!" Rodimus cried. "I have a hard time keeping up as it is! If Optimus is out of here, then so am I. You'll have to replace both of us."

"There, Kup. You see? It's not just you and your wounded honor. It's not even just about Optimus and Andromeda. The fate of the entire Autobot army is at stake here. Take this to court-martial and I guarantee that you will regret it." Magnus' tone was quiet but the gravity of his words could not be denied.

"I'll think about it," Kup said grudgingly. Rodimus and Magnus exchanged a look. They'd as good as won. Things would need to be smoothed out between Optimus Prime and the grizzled old campaigner, but at least the crisis had been averted.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

A vacation. They wanted him to take a vacation. With Kup's harsh words still burning in his processor, perhaps it was for the best. The old warrior had apologized, but Optimus knew that he would not be able to look at him without feeling anger for some time. Rodimus had gotten tired of playing mediator and booted Optimus out of his office, telling him to get lost for a while.

At least he had been able to take Andromeda with him. Deciding to mix just a little business with his pleasure, just to assuage his guilty conscience about leaving, he had agreed to drop off a few supplies on Junkion on the way to Risa.

Wreck-Gar grinned affably as he looked over the supplies. He jabbered a few inane things that Prime really didn't understand, but they sounded friendly enough. "Wreck-Gar, I'm going to show Lieutenant Andromeda around Junkion for just a short while. She's been curious about the planet."

"You're in good hands with Allstate!" the Junkion crowed, and Optimus took this for permission. He led the femme out to explore the massive mountains of, well, junk.

Andromeda's optics were wide as she took in the sight. "A society that actually collects refuse? I never would have believed it if I weren't seeing it right now!"

"The Junkions are a very resourceful people." Optimus personally found their habits to be somewhat bizarre, but he was never one to judge.

They wandered around for some time, Andromeda always wanting to see something just on the horizon. They were playing a diverting game of "guess the component", trying to identify certain eye-catching pieces of junk. Optimus suddenly realized that they had gone a good deal father than he had intended. "We'd better head back if we're to arrive at Risa on time," he told the captivated femme. 'I hope we haven't gotten ourselves lost out here!' he fretted.

Andromeda scarcely heard him. "Say, over there! Isn't that a Quintesson cruiser? It looks intact! I wonder how it got here."

Prime turned to examine it when, to his horror, the hatch opened and a group of Quintessons and Sharkticons poured out. "It's a trap!" he exclaimed. They moved far faster over the rough terrain than he had expected, the beams of light they used for mobility unhindered by the trash. A Sharkticon leapt at him, grabbing his arm in its powerful jaws. The Autobot leader summoned his rifle from subspace and shot it. It fell to the ground, smoking. He swiftly dispatched two more Sharkticons and a Quintesson that tried to snare him with its tentacles. A hypospray fell from its grip, no doubt filled with something to incapacitate him.

"Tactical error!" the felled Quintesson babbled. "We did not anticipate the Autobot leader having company."

"But it is one that we may yet use to our advantage," another five-faced egg-shaped creature replied. Its face swiveled from Greed to Death.

Optimus Prime stood tall, having repelled the attackers with little effort. He saw, to his horror, that Andromeda had not been so lucky. Three Quintessons surrounded her, along with two reptilian Quintesson guards, holding dangerous-looking spears against her. "Let her go!" he ordered.

The Quintessons looked at him with feigned disinterest. "What shall we do with this one?"

"Suggestion: she may be useful for experimentation."

Prime choked down a feeling of horror that rose in him. "You don't want to do that," he said calmly. "Release her. I'm the one you came for."

"Optimus, no!" the femme cried. "That's exactly what they want you to do! Don't worry about me, just go and get help!"

The second Quintesson bore the face of Greed. "What will we get in return if we release this pathetic Autobot?"

Optimus placed his weapon back in subspace. "I will take her place."

"An agreeable trade."

The third Quint spoke. "How do we know that he is not planning some subterfuge?"

"You have my word," Optimus said patiently. "Just release her. I will go with you willingly."

The second Quintesson remarked, "The Autobots have always had a foolish sense of honor. His word will be enough to ensure his cooperation." It turned its Greed face toward the Autobot leader. "Come to us."

"No." Prime stood firm. Just because he had a sense of honor did not mean that the Quintessons would be bound by the same scruples. "Not until you fulfill your end of the bargain. Release the female. Have her walk towards me."

"Agreed."

Andromeda felt the spears withdraw, and a shove sent her stumbling towards the Autobot leader. Mercuric tears blurred her vision. Optimus had won the fight! He could've gotten away if it hadn't been for her! She saw all too clearly what a liability she was to him. "I'm sorry!" she whispered as she drew close. Could he ever forgive her? Some bodyguard she'd made!

Optimus fixed her with a direct stare. "Run."

She hesitated, then took off at full speed, hating herself yet knowing that it was the only option left to her. Better for her to escape and get help than have them both be captured. She risked a glance over her shoulder, and her servos nearly froze as one of the Quintessons applied a hypospray to Optimus' neck. He collapsed weakly and was dragged into the Quintesson shuttle. She wiped away her tears impatiently. There was no time for that mush; Optimus needed her, and she would not fail him.

Optimus Prime found himself walking down a corridor of the Autobot base in Iacon. He felt just the slightest bit disoriented. Hadn't something just been happening? Something important? He wracked his CPU until it ached, but still came up with nothing.

He pressed the chime to Rodimus' quarters, but to his surprise, the door slid right open. He choked, feeling his holding tanks lurch at the sickening sight within. On the couch lay Rodimus, pinning *his* Andromeda beneath him, his mouth busy as his hands roamed all over-! Optimus turned aside, unable to bear the sight anymore.

The choking noises caught their attention, and they pulled apart. "Hiya, Op!" Roddy greeted, but it had a sarcastic tone. "Whassa matter? Didn't like the show?"

Andromeda sat up, seeming unconcerned with the whole situation. "Optimus, could you please go? You're interrupting us."

"Interrupting you!" he roared. "Is that all you have to say for yourself?"

Rodimus laughed. "Just cool out, Op. You should've known this would happen eventually. She just got bored with you and decided to find a real man. Isn't that right, sweetness?"

"That's right!" she chirped, taking his arm possessively.

Optimus forced his vocal unit to respond. "I – you – I hate you, Roddy! I hate you both!" He simply could not believe that he had been betrayed by the one he trusted the most!

"Oh, come off it!" the young Prime sneered. "You are so pathetic! Just get lost already. We've got to get ready for the party, don't we, babe?"

"Yeah, get lost," she muttered, not even sparing Optimus so much as a glance.

"You both deserve each other! I never want to see either of you again!" He stumbled out of Roddy's quarters, arms wrapped around his middle. He really felt like he was going to be sick.

Optimus was so wrapped up in his own misery that he ran smack into Ultra Magnus. The City Commander did not look surprised to see him in such a state. Optimus wondered vaguely what Magnus was doing on Cybertron. Magnus reached into subspace, pulling out a disruptor, illegal in the civilized part of the galaxy. Prime looked at him, understanding lighting his features. "You know what must be done," Magnus said sagely.

Prime nodded as if in a trace, taking the weapon. He knew exactly what had to be done.

The party was in full swing by the time he arrived, caressing the disruptor hidden in subspace lovingly. Ah yes, there they were, dancing intimately. He'd soon fix that. Coming up behind them oh-so-calmly, he tapped Rodimus on the shoulder. "May I have this dance?"

As Rodimus turned to reply, he was caught squarely in the jaw with a right hook. A cruel smile crossed Optimus' faceplate underneath his mask. As expected, Roddy sprang back up and was promptly felled with a rabbit punch. Softening up his prey was so much fun!

He heard a female scream as if coming from a long distance. Yes, he would take care of her soon, but Rodimus was a priority. He would pay for his betrayal in spades! The Autobot second-in-command knelt on the floor, spitting fluids. He presented such a wonderful target that Prime could not resist, catching Roddy in the stomach with a well-placed kick. He fell to the floor with a satisfying clunk.

Now was the time to strike! The disruptor materialized in his hand, and he pressed it against Roddy's temple. "Not so cocky now, are you?" he hissed. "Tables have turned just a little, haven't they?" Rage coursed through his systems, making him feel more alive than he had in centuries. Oh, how Roddy would pay! "Beg for your life, traitor!"

Rodimus opened his mouth, but what emerged was far from the desperate pleas that he had so craved. Instead, the backstabber began to laugh! At him! Roddy entire body shook with the force as he howled in delight. Suddenly another sound came to him and he looked up to see that two-timing hussy laughing too! "I'll do it!" he screamed, jamming the disruptor so hard into Roddy's temple that it dented the metal. "Don't think I won't!"

The entire room seemed to be echoing with laughter. Optimus looked around. Everyone he knew and loved was laughing at him! Kup, Blaster, Jazz, even Ultra Magnus, who had given him the weapon in the first place! They were mocking him! They found his misery funny! How dare they! They would be next! Just as soon as he took care of—

"NO!" he yelled, dropping the disruptor and bending over. There was a searing pain in his chest, then a pulsating sensation. "Primus, what am I doing? I can't hurt Roddy! He's my son and my best friend! He would never betray me!" The Matrix sent surges through him, and he felt the link open. Emotions coursed through it – worry, anxiety, concern. Rodimus!

"This isn't real!" Optimus yelled to the laughing Autobots, who only laughed harder. They wouldn't laugh if he had just threatened to kill someone! "It's not real! Not real!" He clapped his hands over his audials, trying to shut out the laugher and concentrate. The Matrix surged, and the scene before him shattered into flying fragments.

Rodimus concentrated, allowing his physical self to recede into the background as he felt along the Matrix link. Nothing at first, then it responded to whatever Optimus was experiencing, projecting it through the link. Rage, betrayal, hatred – towards him! Optimus hated him!

"No!" Roddy cried, unaware of anything but the Matrix link. "Optimus, I would never betray you! Never!" 'Oh Primus, he hates me!' he thought miserably. What were those Quints doing to him? They were messing with his very mind!

Consciousness came to him slowly. He felt as if he was at the bottom of the ocean, and he swam to the beckoning light that he saw high above. Finally he broke through and surfaced. Optimus caught himself just before activating his optic sensors. That would be a dead giveaway! He had to sit here as still as possible and assess the situation. He remembered now what had happened. The Quintessons had kidnapped him. For what purpose? They had wanted him, specifically. His sensors sought out the tiny homing beacon implanted within him and discovered, to his relief, that it had been activated and not yet been discovered. Roddy's doing, he knew. Both Primes were equipped with such devices that operated on a very weak and rarely used frequency, and one could activate the other's by remote control, if need be. Roddy's idea had really paid off this time. The Autobots would find him and rescue him quickly.

Snatches of the implanted memory came back to him. Rodimus! They wanted him to destroy Rodimus! Voices spoke around him, and he strained to listen.

"...shame that he is not carrying the Matrix, as we had hoped."

"But we can use him as a weapon, as we have in the past."

"That plan failed, Uta. There is only a fifteen percent possibility that the same tactic will work."

"You are incorrect, Marul. The Autobot leader cannot resist our influence forever. We merely need to find the proper circumstances under which he will assassinate Rodimus Prime. The experiment will succeed this time, for we are using thoughts gathered from his own processor."

'Assassinate Rodimus!' Optimus thought wildly. Thank Primus that Rodimus was currently holding the Matrix, or all would be lost. 'Of course, that's it! Cut off the head, or heads in this case, and the body dies. They want to eliminate the Autobots!'

"I have enhanced his capacity for anger for this experiment, but as of yet it has not availed me the desired results. Betrayal is not a sufficient motivator. However, I have prepared another scenario that may be effective. If Optimus Prime believes that Rodimus is a danger to others, he will destroy him. Allow me to test this theory." Optimus heard the Quintesson approach him, and he fought the urge to recoil in horror. They were manipulating his mind, twisting him!

The second Quintesson, Marul, spoke. "Your experiment, while educational and mildly entertaining, is a waste of time and resources. We have already implemented my own plan, which does not depend on random factors such as emotion. It will destroy the Autobots more efficiently than your flawed efforts."

Prime began to contemplate the Quintesson's words, wondering just what this plan could be. 'Keep talking!' he willed. 'I need to know what is at work here!'

Marul glanced at one of the monitors. "Ah, Uta, your test subject is awake. Once again you have miscalculated."

"No matter, Marul. The next scenario is ready. I will tap into his subconscious once more and begin the second round."

His optics powered up. "No!" he cried, desperate to stop the experiments. "Get out of my head!" He pulled at the restraints that held him against the examination table. They began to groan and give slightly, but he had to hurry, before they knocked him unconscious and did something terrible to him! They had trapped him and were studying him like a bug under a microscope, picking his mind apart! They wanted to violate him like they did before, to use him as a puppet! The metal of one cuff gave with a shriek, and his arm was free.

The sound of an explosion stopped everyone in their tracks. The ship shuddered. Orders were screamed out, but they were drowned by the sound of laser fire. Optimus recognized the sound of Autobot weaponry. They had found him, praise Primus!

A Quintesson approached with a hypospray, and Optimus lashed out, but it avoided him neatly. Despite his desperate struggles, it pressed the needle against him and injected a powerful sedative through his tough armor hide. Familiar voices called to him, but they sounded far, far away, as he slipped into darkness.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

The gravel crunched under his tires, the wind whipped past his frame as he flew at top speed over the hill, tires squealing as he made a sharp turn. Optimus finally understood why Rodimus loved to race. It really did help to blow off steam. The speed, the wind whipping at him, served to invigorate him. On the horizon, the first cracks of daylight began to break through the starry night sky. He transformed to robot mode and sat at the road's edge, his legs dangling over the massive precipice, watching the sun rise. Dawn on Earth never failed to amaze him with its beauty. He watched in awe as the glowing sphere of the sun rose majestically in the sky, radiating golden rays into the heavens. It pained him to think that such visions would soon be lost to him forever. Turning away, suddenly finding the sight painful, he transformed and raced further away from Autobot City.

One month. One month to live! How could such a thing be? He, who had lived for so long, should be ready to accept Death when it came for him. Had it come a century ago, he would have welcomed it with open arms, ready to surrender his mortal existence. But that was before. Before Rodimus, and before Andromeda.

"Why?" he asked the heavens, but there was no response. Why now? After he had finally gotten his life back on track, after he had finally found happiness once more, why now? It all seemed so unfair. Not that life was ever fair. He knew that all too well.

It was selfish of him to want to keep living, he knew. Nine million years was nearly incomprehensible to many species in the galaxy. But Transformers, given the chance to live out their lives without the threat of war, could live far longer than that. Sometimes he felt unspeakably old, but that was from the experiences he'd had more than the number of years. His desire to survive was not quite selfish, however. He feared for the survival of the Autobots. Rodimus would do a wonderful job on his own, he knew, but the task was too great for him to bear alone. He was very close to his second-in-command, closer than he'd ever believed he could get to anyone.

His spark ached within his chest casing. He could not afford to be weak, not now! Not when he had so little time left. He could not confide in a single soul. Then the terrible secret of his fate would be out, and everyone would stare at him with pity. He did not want to be remembered that way! This cross was his to bear, alone.

Reluctantly, he turned back to Autobot City to catch the next shuttle back to Cybertron. He had put this off long enough. It was merely the first of many such soul-wrenching tasks that fell to him. He would hate himself for it, but it was for the best.

Optimus spent the next few hours isolated in his quarters, meditating, trying to gather the mental fortitude to do what had to be done. 'I must do this now, or I will never have the courage to do it again.' With a trembling hand he activated his communicator and summoned Andromeda to his quarters.

The femme showed up in record time. Optimus was half-hoping that she would be late, giving him the smallest of reprieves. He let her in without a word. She looked at him, confused by his aloof manner. Why had he called her here, when he knew that her shift started soon? It just wasn't like him. "Optimus, is there something wrong?" she pressed. "I know we haven't had time to really talk since you were rescued. I feel terrible for what happened back on Junkion. I'd do anything to make it up to you."

Optimus Prime mentally steeled himself, taking his feelings and stuffing them deep, deep inside himself. Sentiment would only get in the way now. "That is not what I brought you here to discuss... Lieutenant." The femme's optics grew wide. He was treating her as just another grunt! He was pushing her away!

"Then... what did you want to discuss, Optimus... sir?" she stammered, the whole situation unnerving her. Oh, he really must be mad at her!

Optimus ignored the tiny voice that screamed at him to end this, to refrain from hurting her. He pushed it aside roughly. There would be plenty of time for recriminations later. "After some careful consideration, I have decided to reanimate a select few warriors that have lain dormant. Alita One will be among those warriors. As such, I no longer have any need for your companionship"

Andromeda took an involuntary step back, clapping her hand over her mouth in horror. Tears sprang to her optics, and she fought them. "You – you just wanted me as a substitute for Alita?" she choked. "But Optimus, I thought we had something together! I thought you loved me!" The tears escaped and began to trickle down her faceplate.

His soul wrenched within him at the sight of her tears. 'Not now!' he told himself firmly. 'This must be seen through to the end!' Aloud he said, "Perhaps I thought I did at one point. But with Alita's imminent return, I see that it is untrue. She is my one and only, the most incredible femme in the universe. You can't hope to even compare to her. I'm sorry to have deceived you. Now you are free to go and explore other relationships. Nothing holds you to me any longer."

With a choked cry, she turned and fled his quarters, desperate to escape the harsh words that seared her. Optimus watched her go, his soul tearing to shreds. 'It had to be done!' he told himself fiercely. 'It is much better to let her go now and spare her the suffering that she would feel if she still loved me once I have passed on. She'll get over it.' But his heart would have none of it, screaming for her to come back to his arms. How could he get through the coming weeks without her?

Overwhelmed with grief and self-hatred, he collapsed to his knees. He felt quite sick and wondered if he was going to be ill. It didn't matter, nothing mattered! The wall that he had built to contain his emotions exploded outward, and he hunched over on the floor, sobs wracking his body. It was weak of him, he knew, but he could not stop it. "I'm sorry!" he cried. "I'm so sorry!" He hoped that Primus could forgive him, for he knew he never could forgive himself.

Two weeks passed, and as Ratchet had predicted, the pain had increased a little more every day. His affliction should have been easy to cure! He had even suffered from it before! Cosmic rust. Megatron had contracted it from a meteor in deep space and had thoughtfully shared it with the Autobots on Earth. They had managed to cure the affliction with an invention of Perceptor's called Corrostop. The Quintessons, it seemed, had been unwilling to rely on just one experiment to rid the universe of the Autobots and had seized upon the metallic plague. Knowing of Corrostop, they had mutated the disease to resist it, but in doing so had unwittingly made it incommunicable. Ratchet conjectured that the Quints had infected Optimus Prime with the hopes of spreading the illness and wiping out the entire Autobot army, but their own tinkering with the plague had foiled their efforts. Optimus Prime would be the only victim.

Ratchet was the only one that knew of Optimus' affliction. Optimus had sworn him to absolute secrecy, and Ratchet was bound to uphold the precepts of doctor-patient confidentiality. First Aid, he knew, had become quite concerned, but there was not a single thing he could do to ask for help. Optimus' frequent visits to medbay had certainly been noticed by the Protectobot medic. Optimus required daily cryogenic treatments to slow the cosmic rust, which required heat to spread. Without them, he would not survive much longer than a week. The treatments, as it were, did little more than buy him time to set his affairs in order. He had already started to give away some of his most prized possessions and battle trophies. Rodimus had received a massive saber that he had always admired, and Ultra Magnus had received a double-sided halibut, similar to the one that Earth's medieval knights had carried.

Optimus sat at his desk in his office, oblivious to his computer or the data pads awaiting his attention. His thoughts were far, far away from his work. His hand lovingly caressed the large black laser rifle that lay in his lap. It was an excellent weapon that had served him faithfully. Now, perhaps, it would help him one last time.

He hefted it and looked straight down the barrel, staring at the inky blackness within. How many Decepticons had this mighty weapon felled? Now it would be the instrument of his destruction as well. He pressed it against his forehead and wrapped his finger around the trigger. He sat there for several minutes, gathering his strength. Could he really do it? Could he really pull the trigger and take his own life? He had tried several times before, when depression had come and wrapped him in a seductive cloak of darkness, but something had stopped him. The last time that he had tried this, the Matrix itself had intervened. Would it do so now, or would it give him release from this miserable existence? The pain was not unbearable as of yet, but it was fast approaching that point. Ratchet, out of respect for his old friend, had not sugarcoated his fate. He would gradually lose control of all of his systems, one painfully at a time, until he was nothing but a vegetable. And then, only then, would the cosmic rust invade his mind.

Peace. That's all he wanted. He did not want to die in such a horrible, undignified way. He had nearly lost his life so many times on the battlefield, but to have it end like this, with no honor, was more than he could bear. Far, far better to lose his life to his own hand than to this scourge that was eating him alive.

Optimus searched for a still point within him, a place of peace that would allow him to pull the trigger and release him from the body that was rapidly becoming his tomb. He applied more and more pressure to the trigger... then suddenly dropped the weapon. "No!" he exclaimed. "What am I doing? I can't do this to Rodimus!" He knew that the pain of the gunshot would be fleeting, but Rodimus would feel it all. Rodimus would feel what it was like to have his processor shot out. His dear friend would have to live with that feeling over and over again. Optimus could not be so cruel as to hurt Rodimus just to achieve release from life. He would have to find another way.

The door between the two offices slid open and Rodimus stepped inside. Optimus jumped in surprise, thankful beyond words that his gun had fallen underneath the desk, out of sight. Rodimus looked concerned, and Optimus realized with a sinking feeling that his friend must have picked up on something through the link. "Optimus, what's wrong?" he asked. "Something is definitely happening to you. I know you've been avoiding me, and I've respected that, but it's gone on for too long." He grabbed a chair, turning it backwards and straddling it. "Talk to me. You know I'm always here for you."

'Oh, Roddy, if only I could,' Optimus thought miserably. He wanted to confide in someone so desperately, to seek solace in someone's arms, to gather strength from another's embrace. But he knew that he could not. He could not bear to have anyone see him suffering and wasting away like this. Aloud he said, "I... I can't, Roddy. Not even with you."

Roddy sighed inwardly, vowing to stay calm. It infuriated him when Optimus pulled this crap! They had made so much progress over the years, and he knew that Optimus trusted him more than anyone, but every now and then, something would happen that he would not or could not share. "Optimus, if you're upset over what the Quintessons did to you, I understand that, but don't blame yourself for it. I felt what they were doing to you, and I know that you weren't in control. You fought back and beat them!"

"It's not that, really," Optimus sighed, and Roddy realized that something was really wrong this time. "I've been tortured many times. I certainly don't like having my mind manipulated, but I triumphed in the end, and that's what matters."

The Autobot second-in-command scrambled to think of a reason for his close friend's suffering. Optimus had not been the same since he had been rescued from the Quintessons. Had something else happened to him, something that he wouldn't share? But certainly Rodimus would have been informed about it! Perhaps something else entirely had happened. But what could cause the degree of pain and despair that had settled over Optimus like a heavy, suffocating blanket?

"Is it Andromeda?" he asked gently, hating having to pry like this, but whatever was going on was eating Optimus inside. "Did something happen with her?"

"Yes." The answer was short and simple. It was true, after all.

"Did she break up with you?"

Rodimus looked so worried that Optimus felt compelled to give him some sort of answer, any answer that he could accept. "Yes, she did," he whispered, looking down at the desk. He hated himself for slandering her and betraying the affection that they had shared, but he had already made such terrible transgressions, did it really matter anymore? "She told me that she had found someone else. Someone that she was happier with. Who am I to stand in her way?"

"I'm sorry, Optimus," Roddy whispered, sympathy welling up within him. Optimus turned away, feeling worse than ever for having manipulated him. "I wish you had told me. I would have been here for you."

"I know. It's just something I don't want to discuss right now, okay, Roddy?" He stood and walked over to the window, resting his head against the transparent material as he gazed blindly outside.

Rodimus felt the waves of despair coming from his dear friend and wanted to reach out to him, to try to assuage the pain that he felt, but he decided to respect Prime's wishes in this matter. Optimus would talk about it when the time was right. His hand curled into a fist when he thought about Andromeda. He needed to have a little talk with a two-timing witch!

But he did not have the opportunity for such a talk until nearly an entire week had passed. Optimus had continued to brood, and Roddy became increasingly worried about him. Despair and depression had once again wrapped around him in a death grip, and try as he might, Roddy could not get them to let go. Worse than that were the stabs of pain that filtered through the Matrix on occasion. Something was wrong with Optimus Prime, Roddy was certain of it, and it wasn't all just in his head.

He was startled out of his musings when Andromeda walked past him in the corridor, not sparing him a second glance. "Hey, wait a minute!" he cried, hurrying after her and grabbing her arm roughly. "I want to talk to you."

She fixed him with a confused look, and he could see that she had not been recharging well. 'Serves her right!' he thought savagely, then paused. Why would she be having such a problem if the breakup were her idea to begin with? 'I'll have plenty of answers in a moment.'

"Where should we talk?" she asked softly. She didn't even question his reaction.

"Here!" he exclaimed, ushering her into an empty conference room. He quickly secured it, then flung himself into a chair, crossing his arms. "I want some answers."

She looked at him blankly, leaning against a chair but not willing to sit in it. "Answers? To what?"

"You know what!" he snapped. "How could you hurt Optimus that way? Do you have any idea of what he's feeling right now?"

"I suppose he's happy. It's really none of my concern any more, now is it?" she said in a monotone, her emotions slipping out of her control.

"Happy? Happy?" he roared. "How could he be happy? You pulled out his spark and stomped on it! So who is it, huh? Who could be so damned good that you would dump Optimus flat on his face?"

"Dump Optimus?" she stammered. Oh, she was so confused! The past week had been hard enough as it was, and now Rodimus was jabbering nonsense at her. She just didn't have the energy to make sense of it. "I did no such thing." She practically collapsed into the chair, feeling tears prick at her once again.

Rodimus felt his righteous anger slip away, replaced by confusion. Something gnawed at the back of his mind. "But Optimus said that you jilted him for another mech."

"That's a good one!" Andromeda choked, feeling tears start to slip down her faceplate. "He told me that he was going to reactivate Alita One and that he didn't need me any more. He told me flat-out that I couldn't compare to her." She sat there, hunched over, the very picture of misery.

Rodimus felt guilty for having worsened her misery. "Andromeda," he said softly, reaching out and taking her hand, "something is very wrong here. He had the chance to reanimate Alita One a century ago. He told me that Alita's place was in the Matrix and he would never take her from it. But why would he change his mind now, after all this time?"

The gnawing sensation increased in intensity. "Andromeda, Optimus has lied to both of us. He would not do such a thing unless he was trying to protect us from something. Something he thought we couldn't handle. If only I understood what was happening to him!"

The femme wiped away her tears. "You think he lied about bringing Alita One back? But why would he do such a thing?"

"I don't know," Rodimus sighed. "But something terrible is happening to him, and I intend to find out what!"

The next stop after that very confusing conversation was medbay. Rodimus left there with even more questions. Ratchet had assured him that Optimus was fine, but Roddy wasn't satisfied. He was sorely tempted to order the Chief Medical Officer to turn over Prime's medical file, but he hesitated. Better to get the answers from Optimus himself openly than to sneak around behind his back. He could save this as another option.

Rodimus tried to signal him but received no response. Now he was really worried! Optimus almost never shut down his communicator. A quick consultation with a computer access panel in the wall told that Optimus Prime was in his quarters. Alone. 'Very well,' Roddy thought grimly. 'You can't avoid me forever, Optimus! I know you're going to be at the celebration tonight. And so will I.' A stab of pain bit into him, and he winced, rubbing his left thigh. He'd better have that talk with Optimus soon!

As expected, Optimus did show up at the celebration that night. He really didn't have much of a choice; begging off would have raised too much suspicion. The Autobots were celebrating the completion of the tube transport system, a project over three years in duration. As the founder of the project, it was imperative that he attend. Not only that, he wanted to be here for personal reasons. It would be the last time he would see his fellow Autobots celebrating together. He would not miss it for anything.

Optimus leaned against the wall in the corner, watching the revelers with a sense of satisfaction. It was so good to see his Autobots happy, the cares of war temporarily forgotten. Blaster was in his element, mixing music at his station against the far wall. Robots of all shapes and sizes congregated together, sipping Energon and just shooting the breeze.

Prime pushed himself away from the wall a bit unsteadily, feeling a disorienting sensation of vertigo. 'Come on, hold it together!' he berated himself. 'It's just for one night!' He made the rounds himself, greeting old friends and reacquainting himself with those he did not know so well. He would have enjoyed himself thoroughly if not for the steady waves of pain that licked at him. Forcing himself to ignore them, he continued to mingle. He even gave Kup a friendly wave – he could afford to be forgiving at this stage. Conversing with Ultra Magnus, he felt a sudden pang of regret – he would really miss his old friend.

He noticed people staring at him and whispering behind his back. No matter, he thought grimly. He knew that they had noticed his sickly composition, but soon it would be beyond his concern. Soon he would have to be restricted to medbay. Noting the time on his internal chronometer, he was surprised to see that the festivities were half-over. Maybe he would make it through okay.

'Then again, maybe not!' he thought as his holding tanks gave a sickening lurch. Oh dear, here we go again! Optimus swiftly found his way to the waste disposal units in the corridor. Luck was with him, and the place was empty. He emerged several minutes later, ashen and trembling. It was painfully clear that he could no longer process his own Energon. Confinement to medbay was imminent.

His legs suddenly buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees. 'No, no, get up!' he screamed to himself. 'Nobody must see me like this!'

Strong arms grasped him and hauled him to his feet. He cringed in horror, fearing that his terrible secret had been discovered. A quick glance at his rescuer put him at ease. "Ratchet!" he gasped in relief.

"I oughta smelt you for pulling a stunt like this!" the Chief Medical Officer ranted at him. "You know you're not strong enough to attend this function." Brushing aside Prime's attempt to speak, he continued, "Here, I've got something that should help. Just take it easy for the rest of the night, alright?" Optimus felt the cool metal of a hypospray as it pressed against his neck. A soft hiss emitted as its contents were injected into his body. Several moments later, he felt strength return to him. He hastened to return to the party – his absence may have already been discovered. Ratchet tagged along behind him, grumbling about wayward patients.

The Autobot leader restricted himself to sitting down for the rest of the party. Ratchet was right, he didn't have the stamina for this, but it would be his last chance to see his beloved Autobots together celebrating, and he was determined to make it through. Ultra Magnus signaled to him, and Optimus rose slowly, gathering his data pad. It was time to give the customary speech.

Someone gripped his arm, and Prime turned to see Rodimus standing beside him. "Optimus, we have to talk," he said grimly. Prime felt a sinking sensation. Roddy was suspicious!

"Well talk later, after the party. I promise. Please, Roddy?"

Roddy was surprised at the pleading tone. "Okay, Optimus. No excuses after that, though!"

'I hope I can make it that long!' he thought as another wave of vertigo seized him. Rodimus steadied him, definite worry reflected in his optics. Optimus pulled away as soon as he felt able and headed to the podium.

"Greetings, my fellow Autobots!" he began, scarcely hearing his own words. "We are gathered here today to celebrate a momentous occasion..." He hoped that no one would notice that he read directly from the data pad. Normally he just made notes and used those to form his speech, but he was too weak to concentrate on such a task right now. Pain lanced through his side, and he winced, faltering. He hastily resumed his speech, but the murmurs from the crowd told him that his pause had not gone unnoticed. Another wave of dizziness swept through him, and he leaned against the podium, bracing himself. It was then that a massive bolt of pain sliced through his abdomen, radiating up through his chest. It was more than he could bear, and he cried out, fingers digging into the podium. He reeled, trying to contain the pain, but it consumed him instead. It was more than his overburdened systems could bear, and consciousness slipped from his grasp. His body fell forward, knocking the podium over, and both smashed into the table before it, flattening everything.

There was a deafening silence, punctured by a few startled screams. Optimus Prime lay unconscious on top of the wreckage of the podium and the table. After a few paralyzing moments, the assembled Autobots began to murmur to each other. Rodimus Prime and Ultra Magnus raced to their stricken friend's side. Roddy turned him over very gently, and Magnus propped his head on his lap. Ratchet dashed through the crowd and quickly took vital signs. "Electropulse is weak but steady," he muttered, pulling a hypospray out of subspace and administering it to Prime's neck with an audible hiss. "That should bring him around."

Sure enough, within a few moments, Prime's optics flickered unsteadily online. He groaned softly and turned his head. "What happened?" he asked weakly.

"You lost consciousness," Ratchet explained gently, watching him carefully.

Optimus turned his head and saw Rodimus staring at him in concern. He knew without a doubt that Roddy had felt everything. There would be no hiding it now. He felt a soothing hand on his shoulder and looked above him to see Ultra Magnus, who was now supporting his head. Optimus felt very comforted by his presence. He could feel the whispers and stares of the Autobots around him. Primus, it had been so stupid of him to come here! This sort of scene was precisely what he had wanted to avoid at all costs.

"We need to get him to medbay as soon as possible," Ratchet explained. He had radioed for a transport berth but it had not yet arrived. Without preamble, Ultra Magnus picked up Prime's limp form and headed off. Optimus shut down his optics, glad for the rest. He dreaded to think of what would happen next. He had a lot of explaining to do.

Rodimus waited until he had Ratchet cornered in medbay before letting fly. "I thought you said he was fine!" he hissed. "He lied to me, and so did you!"

Ratchet flinched under the barrage. "I'm sorry, Rodimus, but I had no choice. I swore to Optimus that I would keep his condition a secret. I could not violate that trust except under a direct order from you."

"Condition?" the Autobot second's optics narrowed. "What condition?"

Ratchet sighed. He was really dreading this. "I have to address the Autobots. You will learn then. I have spoken to Optimus, and he agrees that it is the best option. It is better to tell them the truth than to let wild theories and conjecture flourish."

The eggshell-white medic reluctantly headed to the communications room. All was in readiness, and there was no putting it off. "Autobots, your attention please. This is Chief Medical Officer Ratchet speaking. I know that you are all concerned with the well-being of Optimus Prime. It is my sorrowful duty to inform you that Optimus Prime is dying." He paused here, letting the exclamations of shock and horror that he was sure were occurring die down. "The Quintessons have infected him with a mutation strain of the cosmic rust plague. This new strain has resisted all of my attempts to cure it. I have tried to cut out the affected circuitry and to treat it with Corrostop and other compounds, but to no avail. I am afraid that there is no cure. Cryogenic treatments have served to prolong his life, but it is only a delaying measure at best. Prime's condition has worsened to the point that he can no longer leave medbay. He has about one week left until the cosmic rust forces him into a coma. Prime himself wishes to address you now. Please stand by while the remote feed is established." Ratchet gestured to a tech off-screen, and the picture jumped to show Optimus Prime sitting up on a medical berth.

"Greetings, my Autobots," he spoke, his voice noticeably weak. "I am sure that Ratchet has advised you of the gravity of my condition. It is true; I am dying. I understand your desire to visit me and pay your respects, but I implore you not to. I am very weak and do not have the stamina to greet you all individually. If you wish to contact me, please send your sentiments via video e-mail. I will be certain to receive it.

"I am sorry to be leaving you in such a manner, but it appears to be inevitable. I wish my successor, Rodimus Prime, the best of luck. You all have been the finest warriors and best of friends I could have wished for, and I have always been honored to be your leader. Please do not grieve for me, for I will soon be at one with the Matrix. Until all are one." The transmission winked out, leaving every Autobot with a sense of helpless emptiness.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

After a deep and therapeutic recharge cycle, Optimus Prime awoke to the sensation that he was being watched. Somebody had sat with him all night. He powered up his optic sensors, fully expecting to see Rodimus, but his visitor was someone else entirely. "Andromeda," he croaked. "I... I wasn't expecting you to come..."

"I wasn't sure I should," she stammered, looking away. "I know you're weak, but I need to know the truth." She approached the medical berth so that she could face him squarely. "What you said to me... was it true?" She was trembling inside, so afraid of the answer.

Optimus was speechless for a moment. She had stayed with him for some time. Perhaps he was being given a second chance! He reached his hand out weakly, and she clasped it with her own. "It was a lie, Andromeda. Every word. I love you with every fiber of my being. Alita was a wonderful femme, but her time is past. You have earned a place in my heart just by being yourself."

"Why did you do it?"

The simple, innocent question bit into him, and he grimaced, looking at their entwined hands. "Please forgive me," he pleaded. "I know I said some very terrible and hurtful things to you. I did so with only the very best intentions." He pulled his hand free, only to caress her beautiful face. "You know that it has taken me over a century to make peace with Alita's memory. When I found out that I was dying, I desperately wanted to spare you such pain. I sincerely hoped that, if I could diminish your affection for me, that my passing would be easier for you to bear. There is a saying on Earth: 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions'. I now see more so than ever how true that is."

"That's why you pushed me away?" she whispered, caressing his head. "You wanted to spare me from mourning? Optimus, you are a wonderful leader, but sometimes you can make some very stupid decisions. How do you think I would have felt if you had died alone, with no one to comfort you? Do you think I would have ever forgiven myself for allowing you to push me away, just when you needed me the most? I know you were trying to ease the parting blow, but had you succeeded, it would have made things so much worse!"

"I... I'm sorry, Ani," he whispered, cupping her chin with fading strength. "I badly misjudged you. I hope you can forgive me for my actions, for I doubt I can ever forgive myself." His hand dropped weakly, and she caught it in both of her own.

"Don't start that crap, Optimus! You always beat yourself up over the smallest things. We've still got a little bit of time together, and that will have to be enough. I want you to draw whatever strength from me that you can. I want to be by your side through this."

He marveled once again, as she removed his mask to kiss him, how lucky he was to have her.

Prime's condition declined rapidly from then on, as one by one, systems were corroded into uselessness. Ratchet and First Aid had to connect more and more of his life functions to artificial support. Optimus did his best to visit with his closest friends, but his strength was rapidly dwindling. The entire medical and science divisions busied themselves with finding a cure, but it was apparent that none was in sight.

The Autobots, filled with a sense of righteous rage, had declared war on the Quintessons. The five-faced aliens had believed that they understood the programming of their creations, but this time they were taken totally by surprise. As if anticipating such an event, Optimus Prime begged Rodimus to make sure that his soldiers operated under the Autobot code. Attack the enemy, weaken them, destroy their defenses, but do not annihilate them. The Quintessons could be cruel and heartless, but they were not trained warriors.

The scientists fell to the captured and plundered Quintesson spacecrafts eagerly. Any hope for a cure was quickly dashed. The Quints simply had not wanted the cosmic rust infection to be cured, so they had not invented one. Worse, they found several plots to destroy the Autobot leaders, including a very deadly bomb that could be implanted in a robot and would explode when it came in the vicinity of Matrix energy. There was a flaw in the casing, which proved to be a minor miracle. If the Quintessons had implanted the bomb within Optimus, it would have destroyed both Autobot leaders, and presumably the Matrix as well.

Optimus Prime forced himself to keep up with current events, but a sense of apathy and detachment began to form, no doubt due to the massive amounts of narcotic painkillers that were being pumped into his decaying body. He could no longer control his own pain receptors. First Aid had once protested the amount of anamorphine being pumped into Prime's chassis, but Ratchet only gave him a meaningful look. What did it matter if Optimus became addicted to the medication, if he would be dead within less than a week? Better to make the rest of his existence as pain-free as possible.

Ratchet discussed the subject of death freely with Optimus Prime, both of them having experienced it and returned from the Matrix. Ratchet himself had no memories of being inside the Matrix, but he strongly suspected that Optimus did. The CMO was very glad that he did not remember, for Optimus seemed haunted by the memory. For awhile, it seemed that he had wanted to return. Now he would have no choice.

In spite of Ratchet's and First Aid's best efforts, Optimus Prime's body rusted away until it was practically non-functional. Almost as a cruel joke, his mind remained sharp and unaffected, only a bit fuzzy from the anamorphine. He fervently wished that the cosmic rust would hurry up and do its job. Being cognizant of what was happening to him was unbearable. His body was utterly useless, and despite the drugs, he could still feel pain from every malfunctioning circuit. The medics had covered his rust-eroded body with a sheet to hide it from view. The only thing he could move was his head, and only slightly.

Optimus lay in medbay, the lights dimmed, feeling helplessness and despair smothering him. He wanted more than anything to just die and be released from the torture chamber that had become his body. It would not be long now, but every minute seemed like an eternity.

Nothing moved except the tears that streaked down his weary faceplate. Ratchet had left his battle mask in place, sparing the only shred of dignity he had left. His situation was intolerable. He simply couldn't imagine a worse fate. He understood that everything had a purpose, but if it was his fate to die, why could it not be in battle, or at least to some kind of fast-acting illness or accident? This protracted death was Hell itself. 'Have I transgressed, Primus?' he silently implored his god. 'Have I offended you in some way that has earned this living death?'

Something moved in the shadows. A hand reached out to gently wipe the tears away. Instantly, he knew. Rodimus had come to say goodbye. "I told Ratchet I wanted no more visitors," Optimus said hoarsely, embarrassed.

"I snuck by him," Rodimus confessed. "I can feel what you are going through and don't want you to suffer alone."

"I'm sorry, Rodimus." The tears flowed faster, in spite of himself. He cursed them – they were the one thing he could control, and now even that was beyond him! "This suffering is mine alone to bear. I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone."

"But I am proud to bear this burden with you!" Rodimus protested. "I want to give you whatever strength I have."

Optimus took comfort in his dear friend's presence. There was something about Rodimus Prime that was reassuring and calming. It felt good to have someone reach out to him. Through the years, Roddy had skillfully circumvented every defense mechanism he'd had as if it were nothing at all. Optimus had been desperately afraid to let anyone get that close – he had lost so many good friends and no longer wanted to open himself to that vulnerability – but Roddy had been such a great friend that Optimus never regretted it. He was his confessor, his confidante. There was nothing he could not share that Rodimus would not understand.

They talked of nothing in particular: current events, some new jokes that Roddy had heard, how the new war with the Quintessons was going. It was quite likely that the Quints would not be causing trouble for a long, long time. As time wore on, however, it became harder and harder for Optimus to ignore the pain that radiated through him like a fire. He wondered how he could feel such terrible agony and still live. He prayed that Ratchet would come with some painkillers, soon!

Prime noted miserably that Rodimus was indeed sharing his pain, his friend's optics dimmed. He felt even worse knowing that his personal agony was hurting someone that he cared about so much. Roddy felt guilty about not being able to help, Optimus knew, but just having him there was a comfort. Rodimus had tried to use the Matrix to cure the Autobot leader, but Optimus had already known that it would fail. It seemed to be his destiny to join the Matrix once more, and the Matrix itself would not intervene.

Rodimus touched his face tenderly, and he turned his head as much as he could to gaze upon his friend one last time. Pain blurred his vision slightly, and he wished more than anything for the burning sensation wracking his vegetative body to stop.

"Optimus, I feel your pain," Roddy said softly, and Optimus clung to those words, using them to push away the agony that wracked him. "It's not fair that you should suffer this way. Not even Galvatron deserves this. I've been hoping so hard that I could help you somehow. But maybe there is something that I could do for you, if you wish." He leaned over, his face set grimly. "I know where Ratchet keeps the supply of anesthetismol. I could get some with no problem. I'd do anything, anything at all, to help you."

Optimus was simply speechless with gratitude. The compound was used on severely damaged Autobots who could not operate their pain suppressors. In large quantities, it could kill. He was quite sure that it would not take much in his current condition. Rodimus was offering him a peaceful, painless release from this mockery of life. And yet... and yet he could not accept. Rodimus would have to bear the burden of his decision. Rodimus was a great lover of life, real life, and understood that quality of life was more important than quantity. Though the others sincerely wanted him to recover, many of them were simply afraid of what would happen if he died. Their desire to cure him was, in a way, selfish. Rodimus was the most selfless being he knew and would rather release him from life than see him suffer needlessly. Optimus knew that this action would take a terrible toll on Roddy, who had already been scarred by this terrible war. It was not the first time that he had been asked to make such a terrible decision.

Optimus thought back to the awful battle nearly thirty years ago. Same scenario, same combatants, same tired excuses. Only this time, Firebolt, Rodimus' Targetmaster component, was struck dead-on by a concussion blast. Even his tough armor was not enough to spare the young Nebulan from grievous damage. As the Decepticons retreated, he lay dying on the ground, nearly eviscerated. It was some sort of twisted luck that he was not already dead, but everyone present knew that there was no hope for his survival, and left Rodimus alone to say goodbye. The young Prime could tell that his Targetmaster partner was in extreme agony. Firebolt begged him to end his life and spare him any further suffering. Rodimus had caressed the Nebulan's green face with affection, then, as gently as he could, snapped his neck, providing him the release he so desperately needed. Optimus knew how Roddy had been haunted by his actions, that he still awoke from recharge, the snapping of the bones echoing in his processor. No, he could not ask Rodimus to make that decision again.

"Roddy, I am grateful beyond words, but I can't ask you to do that for me. I know you couldn't live with yourself afterward. Do not worry about me. It won't be much longer now." His optics were warm with love and gratitude.

Rodimus cradled his head close, tears of his own falling on Prime's face. Roddy paid them no mind, never concerned with expressing emotion. It was yet another thing that Optimus found so endearing. "I'll miss you!" he choked out. "I don't know how I'll survive without you, but I'll sure try. I'll make you proud of me, I promise!"

Optimus wished that he could hold his friend and comfort him, but it was all he could do to make his vocal module function. "I love you, Roddy." It wasn't platonic love, and it wasn't amorous love. It even went beyond paternal love. It was love for a soul mate, somebody who understood him so thoroughly that sometimes no words were necessary.

A smile creased Roddy's worried faceplate. "I love you too, Optimus." As always, he understood perfectly. He leaned forward and gently kissed him on the white diamond strip on his forehead. The young Autobot turned to go, sensing his friend's weakening state. He paused in the doorway, turning to flash Optimus a radiant smile. "I'll see you later."

"See you later, Roddy." When or where was of no consequence. They would meet again.


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fourteen

The mass of Autobots wisely abandoned the small prayer room upon Rodimus Prime's approach. The room had been packed ever since Prime's diagnosis with Autobots praying for a cure. They knew, however, that the Chosen One wished to have privacy to address their god.

Once he was alone, Rodimus sank to his knees and prostrated himself before the simple metal altar in the traditional gesture of homage and worship. He then straightened up, still kneeling, and professed his desire to pray. "Primus, God of Light, I beseech you," he began, "hear my prayer. I have come to pray for Optimus Prime. I understand that it may be his destiny to rejoin the Matrix, but please, not in this manner. Please, Primus, spare him from his suffering."

His voice became impassioned. "Optimus Prime has fought for your ideals for nine million years. He has been the beacon of hope for your people when it seemed that all was lost. Save him if it is your will, or return his spark back home, but I beg you, don't make him suffer like this! It's cruel beyond words.

"Primus, take me instead, if it is your will! I'll do anything for Optimus! He 's my best friend in the entire universe! I feel his pain, and it's beyond anything that a sentient being can bear. Primus, hear me! I am the Chosen One, blessed by you, and I have never asked anything of you before. I know you had a hand in my creation; does that not make me your son? I have been told that I even look like you! If I have any voice at all with you, please, please hear me now!"

Nothing. No response at all, not even a tingle from the Matrix. Rodimus was not sure what he had expected – thunder, lightning, a miracle answer – but anything was better than this awful silence.

"Is this how you treat your children, Primus? Have you turned your back on us? We have suffered for eons uncounted in your name, and you abandon us!" He began to tremble with fury, knowing that he was speaking blasphemy and not caring in the least. What good was being the son of a god if their god was unfeeling? "How dare you, Primus? The Quintessons may claim to be our creators, but I know the truth, that you influenced them! You created us, and now you abandon us to die! You care nothing for the suffering of your creations! Optimus is Chosen too, otherwise he could have never cured the Hate Plague. What of his fate? He has served you faithfully every moment of his life, never questioning your motives. Well, I am! I will not pay homage to such an unfeeling god! You have no right to treat us like pawns for your amusement! You have NO RIGHT!" He screamed at the top of his vocal unit, "I HATE YOU, PRIMUS! I HATE YOU!"

He dissolved in a flood of tears, collapsing on the altar, feeling the mercuric liquid coursing down his face. They ran unchecked, for Rodimus was never one to bottle up his emotions. He expressed himself freely now, as he always had. His sobs shook his frame so hard that he thought he would fall apart. Gradually, the tears slowed, and he slumped against the altar, exhausted. He could not stop his systems cycling down into recharge, and he dreamed...

Rodimus found himself floating through deep space. He looked around himself curiously, noting two suns. A binary star system... fascinating. The fourth planet beckoned him inexplicably, and he found himself irresistibly drawn to it, floating closer. Suddenly the scene shifted, and he was standing on the surface of the planet, in the midst of a swamp. The muck should have sucked at his feet, but he walked atop it as if it were nothing. The heat was sweltering and caused condensation to drip off of his chassis, but he scarcely noticed. Bits of technological components scattered the ground, as if the area had been recently cleaned of debris, or the chassis of the dead. The wind blew on him like the fiery breath of a dragon. Sharp, spiny razor vines laced the area. Not a very friendly-looking place.

The land ended abruptly, swallowed up by a massive pinkish ocean. On the horizon sat an island of sorts, crowned by a circular, stadium-type structure. Rodimus felt drawn to it and proceeded towards it, walking effortlessly across the liquid ocean. Such things were second nature to the Chosen One. Once on the island, he walked straight through the wall of the stadium, which he now saw from the inside was actually a sophisticated laboratory. Large tanks lined the walls, filled with all sort of manner of beings in various stages of repair and healing. A large pool caught the Autobot's gaze. It shimmered with an inviting gold liquid. On instinct, he dove in, opening every receptor in his body. He instantly felt revitalized, more alive than ever! Power coursed through every circuit in his being. He was alive! Wonderfully alive, filled with so much life that it threatened to tear him asunder!

Rodimus slowly awoke from the dream, still feeling his circuitry tingle from that miraculous liquid that had bathed him. He sat up groggily, realizing that he had fallen asleep atop the altar. One word whispered within his neural net, one magical, all-important word, the answer to his prayers... _Nucleon_.

"Nucleon?" Perceptor asked. Rodimus could practically picture how the scientist would look in human form, large brown eyes blinking owlishly behind coke-bottle lenses. "Yes, I am familiar with that compound. Why do you ask, Rodimus?" The brilliant yet eccentric scientist had spent every waking moment in his lab, searching futilely for a cure for the cosmic rust strain. Ratchet had presented the problem to him when Optimus first was diagnosed, but he had made it seem like just a scientific curiosity to preserve the secret of Prime's illness. Now that the truth was out, Perceptor had dedicated himself to finding a cure.

"Tell me, Perceptor," Rodimus urged. "Tell me everything you know about Nucleon!"

Perceptor was quite surprised. Usually his fellow Autobots urged him to stop rambling on so inanely. "Well, *ahem*, Nucleon is a compound that was discovered several centuries ago by scientists on Hydrus Four, in the Styrakon system. This compound was found to have miraculous healing properties, and many beings were treated with it. However, the miracle compound turned out to be more of a curse than a blessing, I'm afraid. Most of the mechanisms that were treated went insane, and those were the lucky ones. Others found that their bodies betrayed them, freezing up. Megatron was foolish enough to use the treatment on some of his troops. All of them suffered adverse side effects, including the loss of transformation capabilities. Megatron banished the ones that had gone insane, finding them to be a liability. Even he was not foolish enough to attempt such a treatment again."

Rodimus frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Why would he have been given a dream about Nucleon if it were so dangerous? He turned to an access terminal and punched in the Styrakon system. The images that came up on the screen were eerily familiar. A binary star system, with the fourth planet, Hydrus Four, highlighted. It was exactly the same as in his dream. "Perceptor," he said slowly, thoughtfully, "is it possible that Nucleon has been improved upon since its initial usage? Perhaps the formula has been purified?"

The red scientist hunched over his own access terminal. "Yes, I suppose that is a viable hypothesis, Rodimus. I will attempt to contact the scientific facility on Hydrus Four to ascertain its veracity. This could take some time, however."

Rodimus paced the floor anxiously as Perceptor attempted to patch-in remotely to the Hydrus Four medical computers. After nearly two hours, the scientist exclaimed, "Success! You are entirely correct, Rodimus Prime. There is a purer and safer version of Nucleon currently in existence. No side-effects have been reported, and nearly one thousand beings have been treated."

Rodimus smacked his open palm with his fist in excitement. "That's great news, Perceptor!" he exclaimed. "Prepare yourself for departure. We leave for Hydrus Four ASAP."

"We? How many Autobots are gong?" Perceptor puzzled as the flame-colored Autobot leader left his lab without a backward glance. "And people say I'm strange..."

Rodimus lost no time in hunting down Ratchet and First Aid, who in turn prepped Optimus Prime for transport. Optimus had, mercifully, lapsed into a coma. He was no longer feeling the pain as his body was devoured by the cosmic rust. A special well-armored craft was modified as a medical transport, stocked with all kinds of replacement parts. This particular ship had some strong weaponry, for no one wanted to risk losing both leaders.

In a few short hours, the shuttle was prepped and ready to go. Everyone was aboard, except Rodimus Prime. Ratchet was just about to radio him, when he showed up, Andromeda in tow. Nobody commented on her presence. She would no doubt be therapeutic to their patient. He would be aware of her, despite his comatose state. As the ship began to take off, Roddy headed for a private area. He had to pray for forgiveness. Lots of forgiveness.

The Autobot medical transport reached the Styrakon system in seven hours. Rodimus had spent the entire trip in seclusion, fervently praying to Primus. He had a feeling, however, that the god had already forgiven his wayward creation. A glance out of the window gave him a peculiar sensation of déjà vu. Everything was exactly the same as in his dream.

The ship touched down in the clearest spot they could find. They were still, however, stuck in the middle of a techno-organic jungle. Razor vines hung everywhere, and low growls from the distance hinted at dangerous wildlife. The Autobots carefully loaded Optimus Prime, his decayed body covered by a sheet, onto an anti-grav transport gurney that would not be hindered by the slime swamps underfoot. Perceptor had to be rescued several times, his childlike curiosity getting him into trouble.

The small group had a long haul ahead of them. Rodimus fired his weapon in low-powered bursts to clear them a passageway. "They really have to do something about their welcoming atmosphere!" he grumbled. It took nearly an hour to fight their way to the edge of the pinkish ocean that Roddy remembered. The cloying heat was slightly better here, due to the open air. Curiously, Rodimus stuck a foot in the liquid and promptly sank up to his knee joint.

Ratchet hastily grabbed him to keep him from falling in. "What's the big idea? You want to go for a swim?"

"Never mind," Roddy sighed. Apparently there were a few differences from his dream after all. Now how were they going to get across? Walking across was clearly not an option. After a few seconds, he noted a transport platform hovering nearby. It was big enough to hold all of them, including the prone Optimus. Their patient was loaded carefully, then everyone climbed aboard. The controls were relatively easy to operate, and in no time at all, they were headed to the island with the laboratory on the horizon.

Several scientists met them as they disembarked. "Ah, I see you have a patient," one observed.

A second one commented, "Let's get him inside and assess his damage."

The scientists worked with remarkable efficiency, running through the usual routine. Andromeda and Rodimus winced and turned away when the sheet covering Optimus was removed. Much of his body had been eaten through to the endoskeleton. Ratchet and First Aid busied themselves discussing their patient's previous treatment. Technicians busied themselves with setting up an empty treatment pod. Rodimus looked around him, trying to distract himself from the gruesome sight he had just seen. Amazing! The lab looked exactly like in his dream! Vision, he corrected himself. Primus had sent him a vision. Perhaps being the Chosen One counted for something after all! He suddenly felt much lighter, nearly buoyant. Primus still cared!

Ratchet and First Aid helped the scientists and medical personnel load what remained of Prime's ravaged body into the pod, hooking it up to countless tubes and wires. Once the preparations were complete, the pod was sealed, and a technician flipped a switch, flooding the pod with the golden liquid known as Nucleon. The assembled group watched the vital stats, hoping against hope.

"Look!" Andromeda exclaimed, startling everyone. She pointed, unable to voice what she saw. The others turned to see what she was gaping at.

"Primus!" Roddy breathed. "The cosmic rust! It's dispersing!"

First Aid and Ratchet rushed to take readings. She was right, they realized soon enough. "The cosmic rust is dying!" First Aid reported excitedly.

It was true. The plague was dying off, slowly but surely. Prime's internal components, once encrusted with the rust, were now visible. Gradually the disease was beaten back until, the scientists noted with triumph, it was entirely vanquished. Still, Optimus Prime was in terrible shape. Rodimus and Andromeda could barely look at him without feeling ill. A massive amount of his structure had simply been eaten away. Ratchet and First Aid were also hard-pressed to hold on to their professional detachment. Optimus would surely die if his structure were not repaired.

Before anyone could act, hidden mechanisms whirred to life. Nanites were pumped through the tubes into Prime's chassis, where they began the slow, painstaking work of restoring it. The Autobots cheered and exchanged high-fives. They had plenty of raw materials to donate for repairing their stricken leader. Optimus Prime was going to live!

The repairs on Optimus took several days. Each day he looked healthier and stronger. Rodimus kept in close contact with Cybertron and Earth – Magnus had been left in command in his absence. Nothing disastrous had happened. The Autobots were busy celebrating the fantastic news that Optimus had been spared. Magnus warned with a twinkle in his optic that rumors were circulating about Rodimus. One said that he had merged with Primus, another claimed that he had cured Optimus with a mere touch. Roddy scowled. If the Autobots started worshipping him, he would blow a gasket!

At last, the Nucleon was pumped away, and the tubes were withdrawn. The Autobot medics carefully lowered their leader and placed him on the anti-grav gurney, slowly powering up his systems.

Optimus Prime slowly felt his optic sensors come online and he braced himself for the inferno of pain that had assaulted him for the past several weeks. Nothing happened. He looked down at himself. He was whole! Cured! What was this? Was he dreaming? Was he on his way to the Matrix?

"Optimus," a soft voice called to him. He turned his head to see his beloved femme by his side, holding his hand.

"What... has happened to me?" he asked, trying to sit up. Vertigo assaulted him, and he sank back down.

"Take it easy!"

Optimus slowly took in his surroundings. He did not recognize the facility itself, but it was obvious that he was in some kind of laboratory or hospital. And his friends were here too! Andromeda, First Aid, Ratchet, and—

"Rodimus."

"I'm here, Prime." Roddy took his other hand. "You're cured now. You may be a little weak until you can fully recharge, and there are still a few minor repairs that will be done during our return trip, but you're in great shape."

"Cured? But how? I thought there wasn't a cure." He looked to Ratchet and First Aid for answers. Both shrugged and pointed to Rodimus.

Roddy looked a bit sheepish. "I had a vision in the prayer temple. I really owe Primus an apology." He cringed in shame. "I accused Primus of ignoring your suffering. I told him I hated him."

"You told that to Primus? You said such things to our god?" Optimus was absolutely dumbfounded.

"Yeah." Roddy scuffed his foot on the floor. "Hey, it worked, didn't it? You're alive and just fine!" Optimus found himself suffocated by a giant hug.

"Hey, that's *my* man!" Andromeda protested. Roddy withdrew with a giant grin, letting the femme have a turn hugging Optimus.

After giving Optimus Prime a thorough physical, the scientists determined that he was at optimum health. Ratchet and First Aid traded some medical technology in exchange for the treatment, taking a small amount of Nucleon with them for study. Perceptor had a harder time tearing himself away from the laboratory. He could have stayed there forever!

The shuttle ride back was uneventful. Perceptor was lost in his own musings, as expected. Ratchet and First Aid were busy compiling notes on the research they planned to do. Roddy spent a short while briefing Optimus on the little that he'd missed, then he gladly left his friend to be alone with his femme.

Optimus Prime could not believe the adulation that he returned to. Scarcely had he stepped out of a shuttle when he was nearly mobbed by the hoard of Autobots that had come to greet his return to the life of the functional. Kup's security force had a hard time keeping the throng at bay. Optimus searched for the words to express his gratitude, but this time he was just too overwhelmed. Rodimus was amazed when he got a large share of the cheers. Maybe the more sensible of Autobots didn't believe he had enacted some sort of miracle, but they knew that he had done something amazing just the same.

"Welcome home!" Rodimus teased.

"It's good to be back," Optimus replied. And with a feeling of surprise, he realized it was true. He was not yet ready to die. There was too much living left to be done.


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

"Give me one reason why you look so sad

A heart like yours wasn't made for that

Give me your hand, I'll pull you through"

- "You and Me" -Tiffany

Optimus wanted to jump right back in the swing of things, but Rodimus and Ultra Magnus insisted that he take it slowly. Optimus grudgingly agreed – nearly dying didn't really agree with him, and it would be best to take things one at a time. He marveled many times how good it felt just not to be in terrible pain. He was glad that the Autobots had wiped out the Quintesson laboratories and most of their fleet so that the five-faced monsters could no longer inflict such a terrible illness on any other innocent beings.

As several days passed, Optimus began to feel rather ill. Nothing compared to what he had already experienced, but it was disconcerting all the same. He felt tremors, had difficulty concentrating, and his temperature gauge registered in the high range. His coolant and auxiliary air intakes had to work overtime to keep him cooled off.

Finally, realizing that something was really wrong and not wanting to take chances, he stopped by medbay to get checked out. Ratchet looked him over very carefully, fearful that something had gone wrong, but concluded with a very confused look that he could not find the problem. The physical symptoms were there, but the cause remained hidden.

First Aid poked his head in, and Ratchet conferred with him briefly. First Aid's optic visor flashed once, and he murmured something. Ratchet nodded. The Protectobot medic exited the room and returned swiftly with a hypospray. He pressed it to Prime's neck and injected him with its contents. "Better?" he asked.

Optimus lay back on the medical berth, feeling every servo relax. "Ahh, yesssss... that's exactly what I needed, First Aid." He noticed that it was getting rather hard for him to concentrate. He didn't want to think, didn't want to move at all, just wanted to lay there and stare at the ceiling that suddenly had him fascinated.

Ratchet and First Aid exchanged a meaningful gaze. First Aid's theory had been proven true.

A thought pricked at Optimus, disturbing his sense of relaxation. "First Aid," he drawled, finding it difficult to make his vocal unit work, "what did you give me? What's wrong with me?"

First Aid approached the Autobot leader warily. "Anamorphine."

Optimus sat bolt upright, the haze around his mind dissipating. "Anamorphine! Why did I need anamorphine?" A terrible thought occurred to him. "You gave me an awful lot of it when I was dying... does this mean that I've become... an *addict*?" He was struck to the core with horror.

First Aid looked at the floor. "I'm afraid so, Optimus. We honestly did not expect you to recover, and we just wanted to make your last days comfortable. I'm very sorry."

Optimus felt his anger and frustration drain away. This wasn't First Aid or Ratchet's fault. "That's all right, First Aid. Believe me, I was very grateful for it. I would have taken even more if you had offered it. The issue now is how to cure this new condition of mine."

Ratchet felt that he should intervene and take some of the pressure off of his colleague. "Optimus, we could arrange a schedule to treat you with decreasing amounts of anamorphine so that you are gradually weaned off the drug—"

"NO!" Optimus roared. "You will not pollute my body with any more of that filth! I do not want to be dependant on some mind-altering substance. I will simply have to adjust to the side-effects."

Ratchet frowned. "Optimus, you really have no idea what you are in for. The withdrawal symptoms can really wreak havoc with your systems. You won't be able to do much of anything."

"I'll manage." Prime stood to go, staggering to the door. It took both doctors to force him back to the bed. Optimus definitely should not be wandering around in his semi-stoned state!

Optimus Prime soon discovered that Ratchet's words were all too true. The withdrawal symptoms returned after several days and grew steadily worse. He found that he could not concentrate on anything. He grudgingly put in for a leave of absence, leaving Rodimus in command, and sealed himself in his quarters. He was going to ride this thing out in isolation.

Rodimus became increasingly worried about his friend by the day. Optimus had shut himself off totally from the world. Roddy could see why – the Matrix link was feeding him some very bizarre sensations – overheating, restlessness, inability to concentrate, and an overwhelming *need* that overrode everything else. Rodimus tried everything he could think of to contact Optimus – the comm. link, the door chime, e-mail, instant messaging. But Optimus continued to ignore him, hell-bent on staying isolated through whatever was going on. This time, he wasn't going to sit idly by! Roddy marched directly to Ratchet and gave him a direct order to reveal Prime's condition. Ratchet complied, not wanting to risk charges of insubordination, actually relieved that Rodimus had come to him. The young Prime had better luck than anyone else in talking some sense into Optimus.

'So that's it!' Roddy thought in amazement. 'No wonder he doesn't want anyone to see him! Well, he's not going to get rid of me that easily! I've got a few tricks of my own.' With some very skillful arguing, and using a whole lot of charm, he managed to persuade Kup to give him the code to override the lockout on Prime's quarters.

Roddy wasn't sure what to expect, but it certainly wasn't the sight that greeted him. Prime's quarters were completely dark. Half-drained Energon cubes lay tossed about around the bed. Obviously Optimus did not have much of an appetite. Some Earth television program blared in the background, but the room's occupant had obviously lost interest in it.

Optimus lay facedown on his recharge berth, his metallic hide awash in a sheen of coolant. He was fairly soaked in it, small puddles forming beneath him. His optics were dimmed, his exposed face set in a grimace. His fingers twitched and clenched spasmodically. Rodimus could actually hear the air intakes struggling to cool his overheated systems.

Rodimus approached cautiously and gently touched Optimus on the head. The suffering Autobot jerked back and cried out, but Roddy held him still. "It's okay! It's me!" he said reassuringly, until Optimus finally calmed down.

"I thought you were another hallucination," Optimus gasped weakly. "I've had so many of them..."

"Don't worry about anything. Just relax." Roddy concentrated on sending as much calm as he could through the link. He pulled out a jar of cooling liquid and dabbed Optimus' face.

"Roddy... how did you get in here?"

Roddy grinned. "Kup let me in. He's a real pushover sometimes."

Optimus groaned. Kup was really asking for it! "Please, Roddy... just go. I don't want anyone to see me like this."

"Too late! I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. 'Sides, I can feel what you're going through and I just want to help."

"I don't see how you can," Optimus said despairingly.

"Drink this." Rodimus held out an Energon cube. Optimus drank it down and realized, as the last of its contents entered his system, that it had been spiked with a sedative. Roddy turned to go once he was sure that Optimus was resting comfortably. He had work to do, but he'd be back. With the security override, Optimus couldn't stop him from coming back to help.

Optimus awoke from his fog several days later to find that the worst had passed. He still had the unbearable cravings and raised temperature, but at least he could put some organization to his thoughts.

He felt a damp sensation on his chassis, and looked down in confusion. He jumped in surprise, drawing his knees up to his chest, trying to conceal himself. "Rodimus! What in the pit do you think you're doing?"

Roddy grinned irrepressibly. "Giving you a sponge bath. You're disgusting!"

"Give me that rag! I can do it myself!" Optimus was beyond humiliation at this point. Of all the indignities!

"Aw, just quit your griping and lay back. I'm almost done here. Andromeda said she wanted to come visit, and I thought you'd want to be presentable for her."

Optimus grudgingly let Roddy finish his work, one arm covering his face in embarrassment. The door chime rang, and Rodimus rose to answer it. "Roddy!" Optimus exclaimed.

Rodimus paused, turning. "Yeah, what is it?"

"My armor!" Optimus gestured to his nude body.

Roddy smirked. "Come on, it's nothing she hasn't seen before."

"RODIMUS!"

"Okay, okay, I'll preserve your precious modesty," the young Prime laughed, replacing Optimus' missing armor plating.

Roddy let the femme in, who went straight to Optimus and gave him a huge hug. Rodimus headed for the door to give them some privacy. "Wait!" Andromeda exclaimed. "Why don't you stay and hang out with us? I'm sure Optimus wouldn't mind."

"I don't," Optimus confirmed. He still wasn't feeling too good and could definitely use a diversion from the need gnawing at him. "We could watch some movies and play some games."

"Sure, why not?" Roddy was always up for movies and games. He'd make sure that Optimus had some fun!

A few days later, Optimus Prime was given a clean bill of health. He was all too eager to get out of his quarters. Roddy suggested something unusual that he'd always wanted to try – a picnic to celebrate Oppy's recovery. He gathered together some sweet Energon goodies, a massive scrap of cloth, and set off to collect Optimus, Andromeda, and Magnus. When Roddy was set on something, nobody could deter him, so he eventually got everyone together and set up camp on Lookout Mountain.

Andromeda was silent for the first half-hour, intimidated by Ultra Magnus, who had been her drill sergeant when she had first been recruited. However, Roddy's silly antics soon had her laughing as hard as anyone else.

"Hey, Op!" Roddy yelled as he crammed some Enersweets into his mouth. "Remember that mission in the Arctic?"

"Oh, yes," Optimus chuckled, recalling the event. "You ambushed me with a snowball right to the face!"

"I did! And you tackled me and we wrestled, but I won!" Rodimus puffed out his chest in a pretense of pride.

"I remember that!" Magnus remarked. "You two were laughing so hard you could barely stand. Everyone just stood around and gaped at you."

Roddy grinned broadly, an idea coming to him. "TAG! You're it!" he yelled, slapping Optimus on the back and racing away.

Optimus looked around to see the others jump up and run away from him. "Ah yes, I remember this game!" He saw Magnus lurking nearby and gave chase. On the way he passed a large bush and spied a flash of orange. Dodging around the bush, he ambushed Rodimus. "You're it!"

Roddy slapped him on the shoulder. "Now you're it!"

Optimus poked his chest. "Nope! You're it!"

Rodimus pounced on him, knocking them both into a giant mud puddle. "You're it! No backsies!" The two wrestled in the mud, getting themselves thoroughly covered. Andromeda and Ultra Magnus came over to see what the commotion was about, and with a conspirational grin, Optimus and Rodimus dragged them both in.

Seeing an opportunity, all three ganged up on Optimus, submerging him in mud and muck. "I give! I give!" he yelled, trying to wave his arms.

Several hours later, the group headed back to Metroplex, covered head to toe in mud, laughing so hard they could barely walk. Optimus, for once, didn't give a damn about what he looked like. He was happy, he had good friends, and that's what made life worth living. Whatever fate held in store for him, he was ready.


End file.
